Facing Dijon for match 3 of the Betclic ELITE playoff semi-finals, ASVEL only needed to use a single cartridge on the outside to bend the series (3-0) and climb into final. If Dijon could have better hopes after a more successful match 2, it was not the case tonight. ASVEL completes its series and will benefit from nine days of rest before the final, a luxury before perhaps finding Monaco, who will play their match 3 tomorrow in Pau.
The Dijonnais only existed for one half and quickly came up against the Villeurbannaise mountain. Gavin Ware and Rashard Kelly got into the game well and allowed the Burgundians to resist and even race in the lead (19-16, 8 ‘) but in an ephemeral way. Lyon-Villeurbanne put on a boost that stunned Dijon with a terrible 15-2 straddling the two quarters (21-31.12) with Elie Okobo as leaders (13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) and David Lighty (11 points and 5 rebounds).
A leaky address
If ASVEL accelerated when it wanted, the evil is deeper than that for Dijon who found himself completely broken down in the shoot to such an extent that Nenad Markovic, filled with frustration, vented his anger on the chair placed on the bench. sidelines, in addition to being powerless on the part of his men. The ordeal did not stop there since before the break, ASVEL was touched by grace with an insolent address (71% on shots at the break and a 5/5 from 3-points) like Chris Jones (11 points, 4 assists, 2 steals), who converted an incredible shot at the end of possession before returning to the locker room with a lead of 20 units, enough to see coming …
In the second half, ASVEL continued to plunge a Dijon team in distress who did not know or succeeded in reacting offensively against the superiority of the Villeurbannais as soon as they returned from the locker room (33-62, 27 ‘). David Holston and his band were no longer able to come back, Rashard Kelly (20 points at 8/14 on shots, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals for 23 evaluation in 38 minutes) too alone could not help it despite a relative relaxation of TJ Parker’s men, who were content to manage the end of the match with playing time for Dylan Osetkowski and Kostas Antetokounmpo, as well as Matthew Strazel in a rather quiet end of the game (61-73) .
The JDA fought with its weapons
Far from the level displayed throughout the season, David Holston remained silent this evening (6 points) and found himself padlocked by Lyon-Villeurbanne, knowing the faculties of the Dijon elf. Khadeen Carrington, another player, completely missed out on this series also found himself silent (10 points including 2 3-point shots in money-time) despite a few jolts that did not affect the game on Monday evening while in game 2 he had scored 20 points. However, the JDA fought to the end in this semi-final as reported by David Holston at the microphone of Bein Sport at the end of the meeting: “We have no regrets, we fought well “, confided David Holston. “Nobody expected us to come this far. I’m happy for my team-mates, happy with what we’ve achieved.”
On the other hand, coach TJ Parker can be satisfied with the game and series of his men who remained serious and intractable in defense: “Perhaps there was a relaxation after our eleven victories in a row. The series against Cholet gave us a boost. Since then, we are much better and we have been very serious defensively.” A foolproof defense which will have to be put in the final of Betclic ELITE while Charles Kahudi and Victor Wembanyama are injured, leaving the Villeurbannais forced to make some adjustments which have paid off with the tenure of William Howard in position 4 with James Rotating gist.
ASVEL is in the final of Betclic ELITE and will now rest well and “refocus” in the words of Elie Okobo in the Villeurbannais locker room after the meeting.
