The Dijonnais knew it: their defense was going to be the key this Wednesday evening to hope to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, a first in the history of the club. However, the JDA players started their quarter-final in reverse against Ankara in Athens. From the first minutes, the scoreboard indicated that the evening was going to be complicated (17-5 after 5 ‘).
Moreover, despite a first burst of pride, especially in the second quarter – well led by Axel Julien (4 out of 5 to three points in the first half) – the Dijonnais turned at the break with 49 points conceded (49- 46), far too much to hope to shine against the Turkish talents. “49 points is rubbish, let go at the break at the microphone of Canal + Alexandre Chassang. It is an open door and it is not our identity. “
The message had passed. From the start of the third quarter, the JDA regained its defensive intensity and impermeability (13 pts conceded in the 3rd quarter) to finally take control of the match (60-61, 28th), before turning in the lead ten minutes from the end. (62-65).
In a small evening, the Dijon star David Holston (only 9 points) was well supplemented by Axel Julien (19 pts, 5 assists) and Jaron Johnson (16 pts) and Dijon could foresee success with ten units ahead of the money-time attack (70-80, 37th).
And even if the last Dijon possessions were somewhat awkward under pressure from the Turks, it was a final winning defensive phase that allowed the JDA to secure its ticket for the semi-finals of the Champions League (82-83), where she will find Burgos (winner of the Hapoël Jerusalem 92-65), Friday, still in Athens, where this Final 8 is organized.
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