Regular Season Game 9 - January 07, 2010 CET: 20:30 Local time: 20:30 - ASTROBALLE

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final Four 0-0
0-0 Playoffs 0-0
0-0 Top 16 0-0
3-5 Regular Season 8-0
3-5 Overall 8-0

Referees

Crew Chief
MUHVIC, DUBRAVKO, Croatia
Referee
ANKARALI, RECEP, Turkey
Umpire
PATERNICO, CARMELO, Italy

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
68.1 Points 82.3
29.5 Rebounds 33.1
7.1 O. Rebounds 8.8
22.4 D. Rebounds 24.4
12.6 Assists 17.1
7.1 Steals 8.3
2.1 Blocks 4.1
16.1 Turnovers 11.5
55.5 % 2PT 61.2 %
32.9 % 3PT 34.2 %
75.0 % FT 80.2 %
64.6 Index 104.0

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
13.8 / Traore Points 15.7 / Mickeal
5.3 / Traore Rebounds 5.6 / MORRIS, TERENCE
1.6 / FOFANA, BANGALY OR 1.4 / Ndong
4.0 / Traore DR 4.9 / MORRIS, TERENCE
3.1 / LUKAUSKIS, MINDAUGAS Assists 4.9 / RUBIO, RICARD
2.6 / LUKAUSKIS, MINDAUGAS Steals 1.3 / Lorbek
0.6 / Traore Blocks 1.5 / MORRIS, TERENCE
2.9 / DIXON, ROBERT LEE Turnovers 1.9 / RUBIO, RICARD
62.5 % / DEWAR, BENJAMIN 2PT 95.0 % / MORRIS, TERENCE
60.0 % / Kangur 3PT 62.5 % / Mickeal
100.0 % / DEWAR, BENJAMIN FT 100.0 % / RUBIO, RICARD
11.6 / Traore Index 19.4 / Mickeal

THE TAKE

Asvel Basket looks to finish what was once an improbable march to the Top 16 when it faces the lone undefeated team in the competition, Regal Barcelona, on Thursday at the Astroballe in Villeurbanne, France. After starting the season 0-4 and losing its star center, Curtis Borchardt, for the remainder of the regular season, few would have expected Asvel to challenge for the Top 16. But after winning three of last four, head coach Vncent Collet’s men are in the thick of the race. In fact, the French champion could advance this week with a win and a Cibona loss at Zalgiris. But beating Barca is no easy task. Head coach Xavi Pascual’s team is dominating in a way that few teams have ever done before in the Euroleague on both sides of the ball. It’s average margin of victory is 20.9 points and its iron-clad defense has now held opponents below 60 points in two of its last three games and in four games overall. And on offense, Barca leads the league in free throw shooting (80.2%), is second in two-point shooting (61.2%) and third in fewest turnovers committed (11.5 TOpg.). The Spanish champion’s toughest home win so far came against Asvel in November. Behind a strong effort from Ali Traore, Asvel led 52-53 late in the third quarter before Barca pulled away. Now with Rawle Marshall around to compliment Traore’s scoring, Asvel will target the upset. Of course neither Traore nor Marshall will have an easy time getting their points. Traore will team with Victor Samnick and Eric Campbell in an undersized frontcourt that will challenge Barca’s intimidating lineup of Fran Vazquez, Boni NDong, Terence Morris and Erazem Lorbek. On the wings, Marshall teams with Mindaugas Lukauskis, Kristjan Kangur, Laurent Foirest and Ben Dewar to tangle with Pete Mickeal, Juan Carlos Navarro, Gianluca Basile and Roger Grimau. At point guard, Bobby Dixon and Aymeric Jeanneau will look for a way to crack rising star Ricky Rubio and Victor Sada. Asvel will need a near-perfect offensive night to have a chance at topping Barcelona, starting with an improvement in three-point shooting (32.9%) and turnovers (16.1 TOpg.). Barcelona may be the favorite, but expect a confident Asvel side to challenge with zeal for a signature victory.

REFEREES: Dubravko Muhvic, Recep Ankarali, Carmelo Paternico


GAME NOTES

Asvel Basket

Mindaugas Lukauskis has recorded at least 1 steal in each of his last 10 Euroleague appearances. He leads the Euroleague this season with 2.6 steals per game.

Lukauskis’s scoring and index rating have increased in each of his last four games, peaking with a season-high 20 points in Week 8 against Montepaschi.

Ali Traore has scored in double figures in each of the last seven games.

Nine different players have appeared in the Asvel Basket starting lineup this season. Lukauskis and Bobby Dixon are the only players to start every game thus far.

Regal FC Barcelona

Juan Carlos Navarro needs 3 more assists to reach Tyus Edney for 10th place on the Euroleague career assists charts. Navarro currently has 381 assists in 163 career games.

Navarro has scored in double figures in each of his last six games.

Jaka Lakovic needs just 9 more successful free throws to become just the second player to make 600 free throws in his Euroleague career.

Lakovic is 17 assists away from becoming the fifth player to reach 500 assists for his Euroleague career.

Terrence Morris and Erazem Lorbek are both just 3 blocks away from cracking the top 10 on the Euroleague’s career shot-blocking charts. They enter Week 9 tied for 14th place with 77 career blocks. Marcus Haislip sits in 10th place, though two active players, Real Madrid’s Jorge Garbajosa and Montepaschi’s Ben Eze are ahead of them with 79 blocks each.

Ricky Rubio has made 17 straight free throws over his last eight Euroleague games.

Rubio is the only Barcelona player to stars all eight games this season.

Barcelona boasts the best defense in the Euroleague this season, having allowed an average of just 61.4 points per game.

Gianluca Basile is 3 three-point attempts away from becoming the first player to try 1,000 triples in his Euroleague career.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

COLLET, VINCENT
Asvel Basket
"Besides Juan Carlos Navarro, a golden player, Barcelona has a constellation of great players whose defense is tough and who share the ball well, which makes the team untouchable. In any game, the supposedly weaker opponent has a chance. In the first game, we were there and played well for 30 minutes. To make an achievement on Thursday evening we'll have to be at our best."
PASCUAL, XAVIER
Regal FC Barcelona
"We will have to focus on this game against Asvel. If we win, we will still have one game at home against Montepaschi and if we lose, that last game will turn into a final for us. However, winning both games we secure the first place, so we know what we have to do. Asvel is a complicated team. Very physical. They work defensive situations really well and they circulate the ball in offense quickly. They are a team that has gone up from the start of the competition. They have won seven of the last eight games they have played in the Euroleague and the French League, that's why we expect a tough game in a positive environment for them. I think we can improve in defense: transitions, against combined defenses, individual... We have a long way ahead of us, and w emust work to be better than the previous day. That's the key to doing something important this season."

Players

JEANNEAU, AYMERIC
Asvel Basket
"When I hear Barcelona, I don't hear only Juan Carlos Navarro. Barcelona is a team of 12 high-level players. There’s a slight chance to win this game and even though the chances are small, we’ll do whatever we can to win. We put a little pressure on them in Barcelona., With the excitement of playing at home, anything can happen. But we’ll have to play the perfect game."
BASILE, GIANLUCA
Regal FC Barcelona
"When you play on the road you have to be more focused. We have to do what we always do, play with the same intensity and concentration. If we go there thinking we will have an easy game, I am sure we will lose. Asvel won three of its last four Euroleague games. We are a good defensive teams and have good ball circulation in offense, playing with patience. If we play the way we did this far, with the same intensity, I am sure we will win."
Juan Carlos Navarro - Regal FC Barcelona Regal FC Barcelona continued its romp through the Euroleague regular season by blasting French champion Asvel Basket 64-90 at the Astroballe in Villeurbanne, France. Barcelona improved to 9-0 and all but wrapped up first place in Group A and a top seed in the Top 16 Draw with the win. The Spanish champion host Montepaschi Siena next week knowing that it would have to lose by more than 19 points to fall back to second place. Meanwhile Asvel slipped to 3-6 and faces a crucial game at Cibona next week with a ticket to the Top 16 on the line. Pete Mickeal shined during a 0-8 first-quarter run and Barcelona never looked back. The game didn’t become a blowout until back-to-back-to-back threes by Victor Sada, Gianluca Basile and Terence Morris keyed a 0-13 start to the fourth quarter and sealed the win. One of the keys for Barca was outrebounding its opponent 25-39. Juan Carlos Navarro paced Barca with 15 points, Mickeal added 13, Morris and Roger Grimau netted 10 each and Ricky Rubio recorded 9 points and 7 assists for the winners. Ali Traore led Asvel with 19 points, Rawle Marshall scored 11 and Mindaugas Lukauskis 10.

Navarro opened the scoring with his trademark floater and Traore got Asvel on the scoreboard on the next play. Rubio drilled a three-pointer from the corner, but Marshall answered with a long jumper. Mickeal increased the lead from the line. Traore brought his team within 1 only for Mickeal to hit back with a short jumper. Boni NDong made it 7-12 from the line. Mickeal added free throws and then scored a fast break layup to cap a 0-8 spurt. Traore sank 2 free throws and scored in the paint at the other end to keep his team in the game. Morris came off the bench to bury a three. Traore muscled in another score and Lukauskis added a basket, but Mickeal continued to produce points and put his team up 15-22 after 10 minutes.

Ben Dewar made an impact early in the second quarter with a three-pointer and 2 free throws. Grimau converted a tough basket underneath as the game grew physical. Fran Vazquez came up big on both ends of the floor and Grimau fed Morris for a fast break dunk as Barca regained a comfortable margin. Booby Dixon and Navarro traded threes. Navarro added a second three to up Barca’s lead to double figures. Traore attacked the basket for the hosts only to see Rubio feed Vazquez for a slam. Marshall kept Asvel alive with free throws and a three-pointer. Morris corrected a Mickeal miss and Navarro willed his way through the Asvel defense to give the visitors a 10-point lead. Morris found Rubio for a triple from the corner. Lukauskis drove for a basket before Rubio dished to Erazem Lorbek for a layup. The fast pace continued as Traore scored inside to make it 34-45 at the break.

Ali Traore - Asvel BasketTraore banked in a jumper to start the second half. Lorbek answered with a three and Navarro stretched the Barca lead to 14. Dixon went to the line and scored 2 and then stole the ball from Rubio and fed Lukauskis for a layup. Lukauskis capped another fast break to get Asvel within 42-50. After a timeout, the visitors turned to Mickeal, who did not disappoint. NDong added a jumper, Navarro drilled a three and NDong rejected Dewar as Barca asserted itself at both ends. An Asvel timeout changed nothing as NDong hit from outside to make it 42-59. Dewar fed Lukauskis for an alley-oop, but Rubio buried a deep three. Marshall got to the basket for a score, but NDong's basket-plus-foul kept Barca rolling. Aymeric Jeanneau got to the line and Dewar added a reverse layup as Asvel made one more mini-run. Bangaly Fofana rejected Victor Sada’s layup and Jeanneau closed the quarter by drilling a three that made it 54-65.

Asvel's zone defense continued to limit Barca until Sada rifled in a deep three. Morris added a triple and so did Basile as the visitors' lead reached 20. Basile and Grimau also scored to make it a 0-13 run that ended any doubts. T.J. Parker made an appearance and fed Traore, but Barca got points from Sada and Grimau as its lead swelled to 26. At this point the outcome was clear as both teams finished the game with thoughts of important showdowns next week.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Euroleague.net
Referees: MUHVIC, DUBRAVKO (CRO), ANKARALI, RECEP (TUR), PATERNICO, CARMELO (ITA)
Attendance: 5602
By Quarter1234
Asvel Basket15192010
Regal FC Barcelona22232025
End of Quarter1234
Asvel Basket15345464
Regal FC Barcelona22456590
Head coach: COLLET, VINCENT
Asvel Basket
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
5 LUKAUSKIS, MINDAUGAS 27:25 10 5/5 0/3     1 1 3 1 1     1 2 12
6 LACOMBE, PAUL DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9 JEANNEAU, AYMERIC 16:57 4   1/2 1/2       1   3     4 1 -3
10 DEWAR, BEN 18:28 7 1/3 1/2 2/2   1 1 1 3     1 1 1 8
11 PARKER, TERENCE 5:34               1             1
12 TRAORE, ALI 25:43 19 7/12   5/8 1 3 4     1   1 2 5 16
13 CAMPBELL, ERIC 12:23                         3   -3
14 KANGUR, KRISTJAN 9:49   0/1     1   1           1   -1
16 FOFANA, BANGALY 10:07                   1 2   3   -2
17 MARSHALL, RAWLE 28:33 11 2/8 1/4 4/4   2 2 2 3 2   1   4 10
20 DIXON, BOBBY 24:23 9 2/4 1/5 2/2   3 3 4 2 1     1 1 11
21 SAMNICK, VICTOR 20:38 4 1/6 0/1 2/2 2 6 8 1   1   2 3 1 2
Team           3 2 5               5
Totals 200:00 64 18/39 4/17 16/20 7 18 25 13 9 10 2 5 19 15 56
46.2% 23.5% 80%
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Head coach: PASCUAL, XAVIER
Regal FC Barcelona
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
5 BASILE, GIANLUCA 18:58 5 1/1 1/4         1   1         2
8 TRIAS, JORDI 4:10 2 1/1           3         1   4
9 RUBIO, RICKY 21:22 9   3/4     3 3 7 2 3     1 1 17
11 NAVARRO, JUAN CARLOS 21:02 15 3/3 3/8         4   1     3 2 12
17 VAZQUEZ, FRAN 19:06 6 3/5   0/2 1 6 7 3   2 2   3 3 12
21 NDONG, BONIFACE 15:33 9 3/6   3/3 3 3 6   1 1 1   3 2 12
23 MORRIS, TERENCE 23:00 10 2/3 2/2   1 3 4 2 1 1 2     1 18
24 SADA, VICTOR 18:38 5 1/3 1/2     4 4 1 1     2   1 7
25 LORBEK, ERAZEM 18:11 6 1/2 1/1 1/2   4 4 2 1         1 12
33 MICKEAL, PETE 24:17 13 3/8   7/8 4 1 5   1       2 4 15
44 GRIMAU, ROGER 15:43 10 3/4 0/2 4/4   5 5 2   2     2 4 14
Team             1 1               1
Totals 200:00 90 21/36 11/23 15/19 9 30 39 25 7 11 5 2 15 19 126
58.3% 47.8% 78.9%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

COLLET, VINCENT
Asvel Basket
“We resisted for almost 30 minutes. It’s too bad we gave up in the last quarter. They are a great team, there’s no doubt about it. Barcelona is in very good shape and 11 points behind at the end of the third quarter is pretty good.”
PASCUAL, XAVIER
Regal FC Barcelona
“We played well on offense, but our defense wasn’t strong enough as we can see with our many turnovers at the beginning of the third quarter. We are not untouchable. We have to work hard. If not, we can lose against any team. Personally, I’d like Asvel to qualify for the Top 16, they deserve it.”
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