The Senegalese big man delivered a breakout performance to help down league leader Paris Basketball
Mbaye Ndiaye steadily joining ASVEL’s cast of stars
Artikel
3 Lesezeit
Regular Season
Round 15 of 34
Group Regular Season
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LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne has enjoyed some spectacular individual performances in the opening half of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.
Guard Theo Maledon and big man Neal Sako have established themselves as two of the most exciting new talents in the competition, while veterans Nando De Colo, Joffrey Lauvergne and Paris Lee have sent regular reminders of their quality.
In Friday’s thrilling Rivalry Series win over French rival and league leader Paris Basketball, however, a different star shone brightest as Senegalese big man Mbaye Ndiaye delivered incredible levels of energy and effectiveness to record 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 blocked shot for a PIR of 25.
It was a career high in points and PIR for the big man who is spending his second season in the competition, and he also produced arguably the most spectacular highlight-reel play of the game as he received a long outlet pass from Maledon before rising for a sensational slam in transition.
Ndiaye did not miss a shot from two-point range all night, making all 5 attempts, and showed his shooting range by netting a couple of three-pointers on 5 tries. The 25-year-old also did his job from the free-throw line, making 3 of his 4 foul shots.
Perhaps the most telling statistic in Ndiaye’s performance was the fact that he spent more than 27 minutes on the floor, the second most of all ASVEL players behind superstar Maledon. And having set a career high in playing time in ASVEL’s previous game, seeing 28 minutes of action against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, it’s clear that the big man has really earned the trust of coach Pierric Poupet.
After the game Ndiaye made it clear that showing energy and commitment is his main task for the team, telling EuroLeague.TV: “We put a lot of intensity on the court. We played together, with energy. I like the atmosphere in the team, we put a lot of intensity and played together.
“The coach trusted me and put me on the court. I have to put intensity, that’s my idea. I take my shots with confidence and that’s it, that’s my job.”
Ndiaye has now recorded double digits in both scoring and PIR in four of the last seven games, and his continuing emergence is another reason to believe that ASVEL can keep on fighting for a place in the postseason.