The hosts reached the 100-point mark for the first time this season
ASVEL played with 'heart more than brain' to power past Barcelona
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 23 of 34
Group Regular Season
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Tactics may be crucial to outsmart opponents, but energy and determination can definitely win you games. When these three elements are paired with pure talent, they may well lead to triumphs against basketball powerhouses.
That is precisely what LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne managed to achieve on Friday night, when Pierric Poupet's men netted as many as 100 points against one of the most in-form teams in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
ASVEL grabbed a 100-94 victory to end FC Barcelona’s four-game winning streak in style. As many as six players netted at least 12 points, with Theo Maledon leading the way (18), and Andre Roberson (17), Paris Lee (14), Neal Sako (14), Tarik Black (13) and Nando De Colo (12) following suit.
A mix of talent and experience, combined with the energy provided by each of the 12 players who stepped on the floor, inspired a big home victory.
“We had 12 players [available], so it’s easier to give 100% in a short time; everybody can bring a lot of energy and get those big wins,” Sako told EuroLeague TV after the game.
ASVEL bettered Barcelona in all crucial statistical categories, showing hustle on both ends and playing exemplary team basketball at times. The hosts outrebounded the guests 30-26, while they also recorded more offensive boards (12-8), assists (25-22), steals (8-6) and blocks (3-1).
They may have given up 94 points, but Coach Poupet was proud of what he saw.
“Of course we made mistakes, but I asked [the players] before the game to play with passion and heart more than brain, and this is exactly what they did,” he said in a courtside interview with EuroLeague TV.
This was the first time this season that ASVEL reached the 100-point mark in a game, with Maledon’s numbers perfectly encapsulating the team’s near-perfect performance. The ASVEL guard paired his 18 points with 9 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 6 fouls drawn and no turnovers in almost 28 minutes on the court.
Having recorded two straight wins, ASVEL will now look to build on its momentum with a potential victory against Paris Basketball next week. To achieve that, they need to maintain the same approach, as playing with “heart and energy” is what usually makes the difference in a derby.