FRA – Tony Parker watches, hails ASVEL's game-winner Jackson

CHALON (LNB) - When ASVEL Villeurbanne-Lyon announced earlier this week they had lost star big man Pops Mensah-Bonsu for the remainder of the season to a shoulder injury, the club’s fans must have feared for the worst.
 
They need not have, though, because at Le Colisée in Chalon on Wednesday night, Edwin Jackson - the same Edwin Jackson who has struggled all season and has been left out of France's preliminary squad for the EuroBasket - fired them to victory and into a semi-final clash with Nancy.
 
Jackson drilled four of five shots from long range and finished with a game-high 30 points as ASVEL ended the season of the Coupe de France winners Elan Chalon/Saône with a 94-80 triumph.
 
France international Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs bought a 20% stake in ASVEL in 2009 and he watched Wednesday's victory.
 
"It was a big game, the team played very well," he said.
 
"Edwin, Matt (Walsh), Davon (Jefferson) and Mickael (Gelabale) were very good.
 
"But I especially want to congratulate Edwin on his game.
 
“It was not easy for him this year but he continued to believe it.
 
"And tonight, he showed this with a huge performance."
 
Next up for ASVEL is a game against Nancy, who won their Game 3 against Hyeres-Toulon, 96-71.
 
"We must now build on our momentum and not stop here," Parker said.
 
"We beat Nancy three times this year but these results don't matter.
 
"The play-offs, that's another story.
 
"The proof is that we just eliminated Chalon and they had a four-game winning streak against us."
 
FIBA