This meeting, initially scheduled for October 15, had been postponed due to cases of Covid-19 in the Villeurbanne workforce.
This defeat is a big disappointment for the Villeurbanese team which counted on its matches against the Red Star and then the Zenit Saint-Petersburg, this Friday, opponents supposed to be within its reach, to rise in the standings where the Rhone occupies only the 16th row.
The Serbian team, led by the Americans Jordan Lloyd (29 points including 3/4 three-point, +31 rating) and Corey Walden (20 points including 3/5 three-point, +32 rating), has performed particularly well on three-pointers (11/19, 57.9%).
For its part, Asvel, which remains on a victory, however encouraging, in Spain in Vitoria, for four defeats in Euroleague, was too lacking in aggressiveness in defense to compete.
The training of TJ Parker had yet started well by winning the first quarter (21-17), thanks in particular to a good defense.
Low defensive aggressiveness of his opponent
The result was much more difficult and the champions of France did not at all confirm this good start.
L'Etoile Rouge was able to cut the relationship between Antoine Diot and Moustapha Fall very well, who could not, in particular, attempt any shot in the first quarter.
The Serbian formation of Sasa Obradovic, taking advantage of the weak defensive aggressiveness of his opponent, scored 50 points in the second and third quarter to lead 67-53 with ten minutes from the end while the Villeurbannais had managed to return to three points just after the return from half-time (41-44).
But the end of the match, despite the performance of the American Allerik Freeman (14 points, +10 evaluation), was an ordeal for Asvel.
Villeurbanne coach TJ Parker did not hide his disappointment: “89 points conceded, no fight, no fight, our opponents wanted everything more than us.
It started in the first half.
We do not fight on stray balls or offensive rebounds.
They wanted more than us.
We have to fight and we didn't.
It's a problem of envy.
I don't mind losing but when you don't give it your all, I don't agree.
We will not exist like this in the Euroleague.
I'm not particularly worried but the players need to find some rhythm.
We have another game on Friday (against Zenit).
We must turn the page.
These are the type of matches against Zenit, or even Berlin, that we have to win.
We have to focus on Friday's game against St. Petersburg now.
Walden and Lloyd were good but we didn't get the job done defensively ”
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