Olimpia returns to play on the road where it has won five times this season. It’ll be playing in Villeurbanne against a team that has just seven wins this season but is probably in its best form in quite some time. In its last two home games, Asvel held its own against Barcelona then lost by a single point to Panathinaikos last week. It is also coming off a win in Bologna, the first road game so far. They have benefited from the addition of Braian Angola, can count on the experience of Thomas Heurtel, and boasts forwards big men with great verticality and athleticism. This is a team that, as they demonstrated in Milan game, is capable of disrupting opponents’ offensive flow, slowing down and controlling the tempo, and defending hard. So Olimpia, which needs a win to stay in post-season contention, must prepare for a 40-minute battle like the one in Milan, during Peppe Poeta’s first Euroleague game as Olimpia’s head coach (even though the team back then was still coach by Ettore Messina, who was sick). Olimpia enters this game fresh off a resounding win over Baskonia. In this game, they combined offensive consistency with a second half of defensive toughness, which has been the key to the best games of the season. Unfortunately, the roster emergency continues: Leandro Bolmaro is unavailable, Josh Nebo is also unavailable, so Nico Mannion and Diego Flaccadori will need to step up as they did in the last game, and Devin Booker will need to maintain the performance level that he showed against Baskonia. Fortunately, Stefano Tonut and Ousmane Diop return is imminent. They will be on the bench in Villeurbanne, but not yet available, unlike what will happen next Monday in Treviso. The game in France could prove to be a special one for Shavon Shields, who is just five points shy of scoring 2,000 EuroLeague points with Olimpia Milano.

NOTES –ASVEL Villeurbanne-Olimpia Milano is scheduled to take place on February 6th, at 20:00 at LDLC arena in Lyon.

THE REFEREES – Juan Carlos Garcia (Spain), Sergio Silva (Portugal), Alberto Baena (Spain).

COACH PEPPE POETA– “It is a game with a lot of difficulties because Asvel, despite its position in the standings, is pretty much alive and competitive. They have been able to play to the end with Barcelona and Panathinaikos, they just defeated Bologna on the road. We’ll need all our physicality against one the most athletic team in the league, limit their offensive rebounds, keep them from developing their transitions offense and contain the one on one plays of the guys that they have, capable to create for themselves and their teammates.”

ASVEL VILLEURBANNE OUTLOOK – Asvel sacrificed its star player, Nando De Colo, allowing him to return to Fenerbahce to play for a Final Four berth. But it continues to count on the immense class of another veteran, Thomas Heurtel, 38, who has played his last 15 games after an injury, averaging 9.4 points and 4.9 assists per game, roughly in line with his career averages from built over 268 EuroLeague appearances. Another dangerous player is the other point guard, Glynn Watson, one of the season’s break-out players, who is averaging 14.1 points and 3.0 assists per game. Watson scored 25 points in the Milan’s game and scored at least 20 points on five different occasions. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, where he played for a year with Shavon Shields, 28, he was in Gravelines last year and this is his rookie season in the EuroLeague. The third point guard, if needed, is Adam Atamna, 19, considered one of Europe’s top prospects at the position. The guards are veteran David Lighty, a franchise player of sorts, in his seventh season at Asvel; the athletic Shaquille Harrison (6.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game), a left-handed defender with 183 NBA appearances; and another experienced player, Edwin Jackson, 37, in his fourth season at Villeurbanne. At the small forward position, Braian Angola, a recent addition, has made an immediate impact, averaging 18.0 points and 6.0 assists in his first outings. He’s been in Europe for years, including stint with top teams (Galatasaray, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Gran Canaria), but hasn’t previously played in the EuroLeague before. Melvin Ajinca (22 years old) is a very powerful forward with a great youth career behind him, including a silver medal at the Under 19 World Championship in 2023, who averages 6.4 points per game. Zachary Seljaas is a power forward with a great outside shot, averaging 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per night. Essentially, three-quarters of his shots are three-pointers. In his first year in the EuroLeague, he had previously played primarily in Germany. Also available at the power forward spot are Bodian Massa, 2.10 meters tall, 4.3 points, and 4.1 rebounds on average, also in his first year in the EuroLeague; and Paul Eboua, who began the season in Trapani (6.8 points per game, 45.5% three-point shooting so far in the EuroLeague) and has made an immediate impact. The centers are Bastien Vautier, averaging 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, who had a 28-point outburst in the win against Efes, where he demonstrated both skills and physicality; Armel Traore, athletic and vertical (6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game) and Mbaye Ndiaye, 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds on average.

GAME NOTES – Armoni Brooks has made at least one three-point shot in 17 straight games. He ranks first in three-pointers made with 74. Among the best 25 players this category, he is also the one with the highest shooting percentage, 44.8 percent. Zach LeDay needed 13 points to reach 2,500 for his career before the Baskonia game. He had 19 so now he has 2,506. Devin Booker needed 13 points to reach 2,000 for his career and scored 21. Now, he has 2,008 points. Pippo Ricci appeared in the EuroLeague game number 145 with Olimpia and took solitary possession of 4th place all-time behind Nicolò Melli, Kaleb Tarczewski and Shavon Shields. Shavon Shields is now just five points shy of 2.000 with Olimpia in the EuroLeague. Marko Guduric has made 33 consecutive free throws.