In a dramatic finish at the Astroballe, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne fell 84–82 to Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) on Tuesday, October 13, during the fifth round of the EuroLeague regular season, as ouest-france.fr reported. The French club was undone by former teammate Chris Jones, who sank the game-winning basket at the buzzer to secure the victory for the Serbian side.
How Chris Jones Stunned His Former Club at the Buzzer
The decisive sequence unfolded in the final seconds after a frantic fourth quarter. Joel Bolomboy had earlier drawn Crvena Zvezda level at 82–82, prompting ASVEL head coach Tony Parker to call a timeout with 24 seconds remaining on the clock. Out of the break, Tremond Waters missed a three-point attempt for Villeurbanne, and Crvena Zvezda forward Semi Ojeleye hauled in the crucial defensive rebound. That stop cleared the way for the visitors to orchestrate their final possession, culminating in the game-winning shot by the 33-year-old Jones, who previously won a French league championship with ASVEL at the end of the 2021–22 season.
First-Half Lead Slips Away in the Second Half
The defeat dropped Villeurbanne’s record to two wins against three losses, leaving the French side mired in the bottom half of the early EuroLeague standings. Crvena Zvezda improved to three wins and two losses, keeping pace with the tournament’s leading tier. ASVEL had controlled the tempo early, heading into halftime with a 46–42 advantage. However, the momentum shifted after the break as the hosts dropped the third quarter 24–21 and surrendered the fourth quarter 18–15 to let the lead slip away.
Team Statistics and Standout Performers
Statistically, ASVEL shot efficiently from beyond the arc, hitting 40 percent of their three-point attempts compared to Crvena Zvezda’s 37 percent. Villeurbanne was led by Both Bach with 19 points and Tremond Waters with 15 points. Yet, the hosts struggled inside the arc and were outmatched on the boards, losing the rebounding battle 38 to 34. Crvena Zvezda relied on a balanced offensive attack featuring Chima Moneke, who tallied 18 points in 25 minutes while shooting 4-of-6 from three-point range, and Jordan Nwora, who added 17 points.
Coach Reactions After the Defeat
Speaking after the narrow loss, ASVEL coach Tony Parker expressed pride in his squad’s effort against a formidable opponent. “I am proud of my team, who delivered a big match with a lot of intensity. Afterwards, that’s basketball. It could have gone the other way,” Parker said. “If someone had told me three or four weeks ago that we would be capable of playing such a match against a very good Crvena Zvezda team, I would have signed right away.” On the opposing bench, Crvena Zvezda coach Ibon Navarro acknowledged the mental toughness required to pull out the win despite missing several key rotation players. Navarro pointed to the defensive work of Nick Weiler-Babb and strong bench minutes from Patrick Baldwin Jr. as vital factors in navigating a game marked by missed open shots, free throws, and dunks.
Keep reading
