There is no longer an undefeated team in the Elite Basketball championship at the end of the 5th day after the defeats of Cholet in Monaco (89-72) and Asvel in Chalon-sur-Saône (109- 107), who won his first victory after a completely crazy match marked by three overtimes.
The Villeurbannais ended up surrendering after almost 2h30 of play after a final mid-distance attempt missed at the buzzer, in the wake of the long shot for the win missed by Théo Maledon (23 pts and 7 assists). Trailing 107 to 101 29 seconds from the end of this third overtime, they almost did it again at the end of regulation time: five lengths behind (80-75) 6 seconds 7/10th from the siren, they snatched the extension thanks to a stroke of genius from Edwin Jackson (24 pts at 5/8 at 3 pts).
Concerns for Paris Lee
Sent to the free-throw line, the 35-year-old guard succeeded in his first two attempts before deliberately missing the last one, bouncing it off the hoop to take it again and return, eccentric to the right along the line of touch, the winning shot of the equalizer at the buzzer despite the arms of two defenders. The action of this day (or even of the season?) during which three matches went into overtime (including a triple and a double) while there had been none during the first four days.
Asvel gave in after a week to two Euroleague matches (a victory and a defeat) and a festival of three-point shots (15/41 for them and 16/39 for Elan, including 6/9 for Dusan Ristic author of 23 points). She may also have lost Paris Lee for several weeks, injured in her left leg, and shares the lead (4/1) with Saint-Quentin and Gravelines-Dunkerque.
Monaco in balance
The Choletais are in fourth place (3/1, one game in hand) after holding off Monaco for three quarters, and even better since they were up to 14 points ahead before half-time (38-24, 18th). But ASM gradually clawed back its deficit before blowing up Cholet Basket in the last quarter, winning 30-8 thanks to a great Jordan Loyd.
The American leader-back, who was playing his first match in Elite since his return to the Rock 10 days ago after a month spent at Maccabi Tel-Aviv, in the absence of Mike James (spared) launched his team by registering the first eight points of the final period. He finished with 24 points on the clock including a clear round at long distance (4/4), where Vitto Brown also shone (4/6, 18 pts in total). The “Roca Team”, which was stripped of a victory for financial failure (it appealed), balances its balance sheet (2/2).
