Dijon breaks Monaco’s invincibility in Betclic Elite, Asvel unfolds

End of series for Monaco. Undefeated since the start of the Championship, the Roca Team lost their flag at home against Dijon on Sunday afternoon (84-95). Without Jordan Loyd or Adrien Moerman, preserved, Sasa Obradovic’s players chased the score throughout the second half before folding in a poorly managed money-time. They now share their leadership chair in Betclic Elite with Boulogne-Levallois (7 wins – 1 loss).

On borrowed time after the first act (47-47, 20th) despite the efforts of Yakuba Ouattara (20 points), the Rock club immediately conceded a 7-0 punctuated by an award-winning basket from David Holston (19 points, 6 assists) , still untenable and perfectly assisted by Gregor Hrovat (15 points, 9 assists) in the creation. Elie Okobo brought Monaco to one possession by finding the circle one meter behind the arc (78-81, 37th) and, as against Bourg-en-Bresse, the vice-champion of France seemed to be heading for a stunning victory.

But Holston immediately stopped the Monegasque dynamic with a mid-range shot, imitated a possession later by Hrovat (78-85, 38th). Back to the wall, the Monegasques cracked one last time in defense, on an overly aggressive “contest” from Jaron Blossomgame, offering three shots to Markis McDuffie. Dijon’s top scorer, the American winger (27 points, 9 rebounds) did not shake on the line and the desperate shots of Mike James (20 points, 4 of 14 shooting, 10 assists) did not find the target . Dijon took the opportunity to take fifth place alone in Betclic Elite.

Asvel unrolls, Strasbourg sinks

Back to balance in the Euroleague after its success in Bologna, Asvel confirmed its renewed form by beating Fos-sur-Mer (94-65) at the Astroballe. Without Nando De Colo, left to rest, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, former MVP of Pro B with Saint-Quentin, signed his best outing in the colors of the Rhone. The American leader scored 19 points, including a very distant winning basket to knock out Fos (88-55, 33rd). Antoine Diot added 12 points and 6 assists off the bench while the Asvel defense forced 27 ball losses on the Provençal side. Two weeks after stumbling in the derby in Roanne (83-89), TJ Parker and his troops are now sixth.

Released by Asvel on Monday, Paul Lacombe failed to get Strasbourg out of its black series. The international back found the Alsatian club, which he had left in 2017, in Bourg-en-Bresse (69-74). Combative but rough (7 points, 1 of 8 shooting, 7 rebounds, 5 assists), he bent like the SIG in front of the heat stroke of James Palmer Jr. The American scorer with the white headband passed 26 points to the Alsatian defense , including the award-winning basket to go back in front (67-66, 37th) while the JL was trailing by 12 points in the middle of the third quarter. For Strasbourg, bottom with 7 defeats in 8 matches, the state of emergency is declared.