In Round 16 of the EuroLeague, Partizan Mozzart Bet hosted the French club LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne at the Belgrade Arena and suffered a narrow defeat with a score of 79:82.

Before the game, the home team entered the court riding a five-game winning streak. They needed just one more victory to surpass their record from last year. During the 2023-2024 season, they also concluded December’s tour with five wins. The opposing team, while lacking a lengthy winning streak, gained additional confidence after their successful performance against the tournament leaders. In the French derby, they managed to beat the Paris team with a five-point advantage (98:93).

From the very first minutes, the game for Partizan did not go as planned. Paris successfully utilized their powerful front line led by Joffrey Lauvergne, who practically bulldozed through Belgrade’s defense. Željko Obradović had to call a timeout to reorganize the defense and halt the opponent, who had already taken a seven-point lead. Substitute Balša Koprivica managed to turn the tide against Paris with his confident play under the basket. Not only did he score points on his own, but he also capitalized on his teammates’ missed shots with spectacular dunks. However, the Partizan center shone even brighter in defense. His four blocks and three steals forced the opponent to play more cautiously on offense.

An excellent performance was also delivered by Duane Washington Jr., who came off the bench at the end of the first quarter. His confident drives and long-range shots were so impressive that Partizan’s primary point guard, Carlik Jones, was able to conserve energy for the game’s final moments. Washington was the team’s main offensive weapon, scoring 22 points and providing 8 assists.

However, Paris’s strong performance in the third quarter decided the outcome of the game. By dominating the rebounds, including on the offensive glass, they created more scoring opportunities and won the quarter by a seven-point margin.

The well-coordinated duo of French national team players Nando De Colo and Joffrey Lauvergne performed consistently and effectively, scoring 14 and 17 points, respectively. Théo Maledon, who was left out of the French national team due to a shoulder injury, became Paris’s top scorer with 21 points.

Foto: Maxim Konankov