By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
With fans packing Palais des Sports de Pau to enjoy Victor Wembanyama, Metropolitans 92 edged out Elan Bearnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez, 78-76, Tuesday evening.
Wembanyama, 19, ended up with 20 points, nine rebounds, six blocks, and one assist, despite dealing with early foul trouble in the Betclic Elite LNB Pro A Regular Season Round 22 game. He connected three shots from beyond the arc in a total of 7/13 from the field.
The leader of France’s top-tier division in points, rebounds, blocks, and evaluation delivered yet another solid performance helping his side jump to 16-6, two games behind league-leading AS Monaco. The Mets were coming off losses to Turkish Airlines EuroLeague participants, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and Monaco in the Leaders Cup and French Cup, respectively.
Sharing the team-high 20 points with Wemby, Tremont Waters also logged eight assists, the last dish setting up TaShawn Thomas’ game-winning dunk with 32.3 seconds remaining in the back-and-forth contest. The latter ended up with 17 points in his debut with the French club.
For the hosts, Vitalis Chikoko drew a game-high 24 points but was not enough for the win. Eric Bartecheky’s side fell to 8-14, just one game safe from the relegation zone.
LNB Round 22
Fos-sur-Mer – Le Mans 71-68
ESSM Le Portel – Roanne 84-95
Limoges CSP – SLUC Nancy 82-76
BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque – Paris 76-86
JDA Dijon – ADA Blois 91-77
Cholet – JL Bourg 99-88
AS Monaco – Nanterre 92 108-87
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne – SIG Strasbourg 78-72
Elan Bearnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez – Metropolitans 92 76-78
STANDINGS: Monaco 18-4, Metropolitans 92 16-6, Cholet 15-7, Dijon 14-8, Le Mans 12-9, ASVEL 12-9…
From wrapping up Round 22, the frontrunner to be selected with the first overall pick of the 2023 NBA draft and Metropolitans 92 in a quick turnaround will open Round 23 by playing host to SLUC Nancy Friday.
Photo Credit: Getty Images