After an amazing game, Villeurbanne defeated Paris 98-96 in the French capital in the “derby” of the fourth round of the EuroLeague, securing its second victory.
Iffi responded to Villeurbanne’s early 7-3 lead at the start of the first quarter. Paris went on a 6-0 run to take a +9 lead, led by Johnson and Herrera. Consecutive three-pointers by the Lyon team sparked an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to -1. A 6-0 run by Paris, featuring numerous scoring opportunities in the opponent’s paint, brought the score to 21-14 at the end of the first quarter.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Paris maintained a +7 and then a +8 lead at the start of the second quarter with smart plays in the opponent’s paint. Iffi made it 29-19, but at 31-22, an 8-0 run by Villeurbanne—fueled by a variety of scoring options—cut the lead to -1. Consecutive three-pointers from both sides brought the score to 39-36, and at that point, the Athens team maintained a lead of +2 to +3. Mills’ consecutive three-pointers sparked a 6-0 run, bringing the score to 42-45 for Villeurbanne and 43-46 at the end of the first half.
Paris shot 12-for-26 from the field, 5-for-16 from three-point range, 4-for-5 from the free-throw line, and grabbed 16 rebounds.
Villeurbanne shot 8-for-18 from the field, 8-for-12 from three-point range, 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, and had 16 rebounds and 12 assists.
Waters made it 43-48 at the start of the third quarter, but Ifi and Warren went on a run to put the home team up 51-49. Villeurbanne responded with a 6-0 run of its own to take a 4-point lead, and Gats’s consecutive three-pointers maintained that margin. The visitors stopped shooting from beyond the 6.75-meter line and played effectively in the paint, maintaining a +2 to +3 lead during that stretch.
Etienne tied the score at 62-62, and then back-to-back three-pointers from both sides made it 71-67. Villeurbanne responded with a 7-0 run to make it 71-74, but back-to-back three-pointers by Ifi and Ayayi made it 77-74 at the end of the third quarter.
Faye led a 5-0 run to start the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 82-77, but Villeurbanne responded with a 5-0 run of their own to tie the game at 82-82. Another 5-0 run by Paris made it 87-82, and Ifi maintained the lead at +2 and then +4. A 4-0 run by Villeurbanne tied the score at 91-91, but Étienne went on a personal 4-0 run to make it 95-91, with 15-of-34 and 14-of-26 from three-point range, respectively, dominating the game, and both Ifi and Etienne having broken down the opposing defense. Villeurbanne tied the game at 95-95 with a 4-0 run. Ifi made it 96-95 with a free throw, and two turnovers helped Waters make it 96-97. Ifi turned the ball over, and Bolomboy made it 96–98 with a free throw with 12 seconds left; Ifi then missed the final three-pointer.
Quarter scores: 21-14, 43-46, 77-74, 96-98.
*Photo source: EuroLeague
