Monaco has not conceded two defeats in a row in the league: the leader and defending champion reacted at home against Asvel (89-71), in a late match on the 18th day, two days after his defeat at Bourg- en-Bresse (74-70). Opposed to its other closest pursuer 48 hours after its second defeat of the season in Elite, the “Roca Team”, certainly this time with Mike James and John Brown III in its ranks, responded like a boss.
And probably buried Villeurbanne’s last hopes of stealing first place at the end of the regular season. Asvel, which remained on five consecutive victories in the championship, is four successes behind ASM (20 victories for two defeats). She will have to concentrate on the fight for second place, with the fiery reception of Bourg-en-Bresse starting on Sunday (also 16 successes but one more match to play).
And next Tuesday, she will return to Monaco in the Coupe de France, to try to stop a series of eight defeats against her in all competitions… The Villeurbannais exploded in the third quarter (lost 29-12), in the first minutes then the last of this period, feeding with numerous lost balls (21 in total) the Monegasques of Matthew Strazel (11 pts at 2/3 long distance), author of a “3 1” (winning shot with converted foul by a free throw) at the buzzer (61-46).
Charles Kahudi in particular, at long distance (2/2), kept Asvel in the match against the success of Mike James (17 pts) and Jaron Blossomgame (10 pts, 2/3 at three points) during the fourth quarter -time (78-68 at 2 min 35 sec from the end). But a new slump in the process (1-8), with numerous ball losses which Elie Okobo enjoyed on the counter-attack (14 pts), took away all hope of victory.
