Strasbourg learn how to win a big one

VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - Strasbourg won't win the Turkish Airlines Euroleague this season, but the players, coaching staff and fans have a memory to treasure.

On Thursday night, the team led by France national team coach Vincent Collet scraped a 77-76 triumph at home over Zalgiris Kaunas.

With just over two seconds remaining, Justin Dentmon hit a runner in the lane for a two-point Zalgiris advantage.

The Lithuanian club, looking for a priceless fourth victory as it tries to reach the Top 16, were about to leave France in a very good mood.

After a Strasbourg timeout, which advanced the ball past mid-court, Louis Campbell caught the inbounds pass before drilling his fifth three-pointer of the game.

"It's the most beautiful basket of my career," Campbell said.

The win and overall performance is exactly what Strasbourg needed.

This is just the second time the outfit has competed in the Euroleague.

The players need experience.

Now they have a taste of something special that will make them want to come back for more.

A Strasbourg victory seemed unlikely at the start when Zalgiris took an 11-0 lead.

The home team looked short of confidence against a team with a great basketball tradition.

The French club didn't score until Alexis Ajinca buried a mid-range jumper more than five minutes into the opening quarter.

The player that really took up the challenge after entering the contest with 3:40 left in the frame with Strasbourg trailing 14-8 was Paul Lacombe.

A 1.90m point guard who has played with France's youth teams, the 23-year-old made one big play after another.

First, he came up with a steal, and Strasbourg scored at the other end.

Lacombe then crashed the offensive boards and scored with a put-back slam to reduce the deficit to 15-12.

Then he stole another pass and drove in for a lay-up.

By half-time, Lacombe had five points and four steals.

"Alexis was not himself today, so the other guys, like for example Paul Lacombe, were present and focused," Campbell said.

Lacombe's play was contagious.

Antoine Diot, one of France's gold-medal winners at EuroBasket 2013, put forth a spirited defensive effort in the third quarter and suddenly, all of the Strasbourg players showed a sense of urgency.

Ricardo Greer had a slow start but finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists - all team-highs.

He had missed a wide-open lay-up early on but Collet offered his veteran words of encouragement in a timeout and Greer eventually discovered his top form.

When the players walked off the court, they were smiling.

It's been a tough Euroleague campaign, one that had seen the team win just one of their first seven games before Thursday.

With just a couple of games remaining, the odds are stacked against Strasbourg as they try to reach the Top 16.

They have clashes with unbeaten Real Madrid next week and at home to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan after.

All that matters right now is that Strasbourg's players have put forth an effort that they can be proud of.

It's something this club can build on.

"It is really satisfying," Collet said, "the commitment that the players put into the game, beyond the end, that will stay in our memories.

"I told them that I was proud of them, and in case of defeat I would have been disappointed for them.

"This victory will grow each player.

"Mentally, it's a real progression."

Jeff Taylor

FIBA

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