ASVEL captured its first EuroLeague victory of the season, defeating Baskonia 87–79 at home to even its record at 1–1. The French side overcame a red-hot opening quarter from the visitors to seize control in a tense contest.
Zac Seljaas led ASVEL with 23 points, hitting 5-of-6 three-pointers and posting a game-high PIR of 25. Nando De Colo added 12 points, while Melvin Ajinca and David Lighty scored 11 apiece. Bodian Massa and Mbaye Ndiaye each contributed 10, making six players reach double figures.
For Baskonia, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 18 points, Markus Howard had 16, and Hamidou Diallo added 13. Trent Forrest and Tadas Sedekerskis each reached double digits with 10 points, but the visitors could not sustain their early momentum.
Baskonia started aggressively, opening an 11–23 lead midway through the first quarter behind Luwawu-Cabarrot’s scoring. ASVEL responded with long-range shooting from Seljaas and De Colo, but the visitors still held a 26–33 advantage after 10 minutes.
The second quarter saw a slowdown in scoring as turnovers increased and defensive intensity rose. Seljaas continued to spark the hosts, scoring inside and out to cut the deficit to 37–43. ASVEL tied the game at 45–45 on another Seljaas triple, then Shaquille Harrison’s three-pointer in the final seconds gave the home team a 48–45 halftime lead.
In the third, ASVEL extended its advantage through interior play from Lighty and Bastien Vautier. Despite a technical foul on Lighty, the hosts maintained control, and De Colo’s composed shooting kept the margin intact. ASVEL entered the final quarter up 77–66.
Baskonia fought back with back-to-back threes from Howard, narrowing the gap to 77–72. However, ASVEL remained composed amid fouls and physical play. Seljaas and De Colo anchored the closing minutes as the French side sealed the 87–79 victory.
ASVEL shot 52% on two-pointers and 46.7% from three-point range, limiting Baskonia to 43.8% from deep. The hosts also recorded 22 assists to 13 for the visitors, with strong defense in the second half proving decisive.
The win gives ASVEL a confidence boost as the season progresses, while Baskonia drops to 0–2 and will look to recover in upcoming fixtures.
