Despite a very good first half, ASVEL once again suffered defeat (89-85) on Friday night at the Astroballe during the 32nd day of the Euroleague, against Maccabi Tel-Aviv, which it hasn’t beaten at home for six years. The Villeurbanne team remains in last place.
It was almost too good to last. Despite a very good period that suggested ASVEL would finally achieve success against Maccabi Tel-Aviv, which has eluded them since 2020, the Villeurbanne team once again fell (89-85) to the Israelis on Friday night at the Astroballe during the 32nd day of the Euroleague.
In order for the bottom of the table team, previously dominated in the first leg in Israel (92-84) by the teammates of Jaylen Hoard (8 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists), to finally overcome their black beast in the competition (only 2 wins out of 13 defeats since 2000), the players coached by Pierric Poupet needed to continue their performance after halftime (52-38 for ASVEL) from the first 24 minutes.
The euphoria, especially from long distance like Glynn Watson almost hitting a hundred percent behind the line (3 out of 5), in the first half unfortunately gave way to the Rhodanian men falling back into their old ways after the break, suddenly unable to find their shooting touch again in addition to failing to regain their tempo from the first period.
Blatt, ASVEL’s nightmare at the end of the match
Roman Sorkin, brilliant (23 points), and Maccabi took advantage to come back within a few points and then take the lead for the first time in the game against a barely recognizable ASVEL team compared to the first half.
Fortunately for Pierric Poupet and his men, the Villeurbanne team found their rhythm in the last quarter, paradoxically without their best player Watson, forced to leave due to injury. This allowed them to stay in the game and keep hopes of winning until the end despite a breathtaking end of the match by a ruthless Tamir Blatt (14 points, 13 assists), both from long range and on playmaking, where he shone.
Trailing by three points with 20 seconds left, ASVEL definitively lost out after Edwin Jackson (4 points, 2 assists), clumsy in this area in the money time, missed the crucial free throw. It was destined that Maccabi would once again play a nasty trick on their favorite victim in the Euroleague.
