ASVEL keep impressing and defeat CSKA in nail-bitter ending / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: imago images/PanoramiC-Scanpix Credit imago images/PanoramiC-Scanpix

French club LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (4-2) keep impressing and added another important win in their Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, beating Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow (4-2) in a very close battle 70-68 (26-13, 13-17, 14-26, 17-12).

Player of the Game EFF 19 Youssoupha Fall Points 12 Accuracy 4-6 Rebounds 10 Assists 0

Daniel Hackett missed two key free throws which could have given CSKA the lead. After that, Elie Okobo scored on the drive to give ASVEL a three-point lead (70-67). Clyburn's last three-pointer didn't go in and ASVEL took the win home.

In the final quarter, the game remained close, with both teams struggling to score consistently. Kahudi tied the game at 66 with a little bit more than 3 minutes remaining in the game. Elie Okobo's drive to the basket gave back ASVEL a one-point lead (68-67).

For ASVEL the top scorer was Elie Okobo with 14 points (7/11 2PT, 0/3 3PT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, and 14 PIR.

“We fought, we made it tough on them. Everybody was involved tonight. We had a good effort defensively, took great rebounds, pushed the ball, and we played as a team offensively,” said Okobo post-game.

“It was tough but we held on. Offensively we have to develop our game much better. When the defense is intense like that, we have to make sure we do a little more,” spoke TJ Parker.

“Rebounds are what we’ve been talking about. Rebounds are important. I always push them to go to the offensive rebound and today we had 18. Eighteen is huge. That gives you a lot of second chances,” he added.

Daniel Hackett was the top scorer for CSKA Moscow with 16 points (5/9 2PT, 2/4 3PT, 0/2 FT), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, and 15 PIR.

“The finish of the game could have gone a different way. We came back and played better in the third quarter. It was evident that we changed our mindset and we had a different approach in the game. That’s why we took the lead. The way they won the game, it was a hustle situation,” told Dimitris Itoudis after the last seconds' thriller.

CSKA completely changed the game in the third quarter. Daniel Hackett, who had 9 points in the period, led the comeback.

CSKA made a 13-6 run that erased ASVEL's lead to just two points (45-43). Joel Bolomboy gave the first lead of the game to CSKA (50-49) and the Russian team finished the third quarter up by 3 (56-53).

ASVEL started the game strongly and began with a 12-3 run with 10 points from David Lighty, who looked unstoppable at the beginning. In the first quarter, ASVEL led even by 15 points (23-8). CSKA struggled to find their flow offensively.

ASVEL: Elie Okobo 14, Yossoupha Fall 12 (10 REB), David Lighty 10.

CSKA Moscow: Daniel Hackett 16, Johannes Voigtmann 13 (6 REB), Alexey Shved 10 (5 AST).

Highlights

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