CB L’Hospitalet collected its first win since taking part in the ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT on its own court every January since the 2007-08 season by coming back from a 14-point third quarter deficit to beat ASVEL Lyon Villeurbanne 67-60. L’Hospitalet, which had narrow losses against Galatasaray (64-68) and Baloncesto Seville (79-80) in Group A play, finally got the first victory to finish seventh at the tournament. Marc Ruf had 16 points and six rebounds while Daniel Garcia chipped in 11 points, three rebounds and three assists for the host side. ASVEL Lyon took eighth place as Amine Noua’s 23 points and 10 rebounds were not enough while Romain Poinas scored 13 points. 

Lucas Herrgott scored five points early and Dylan Palcy hit to make it 3-9. But L’Hospitalet turned up the defensive pressure and held ASVEL scoreless for five minutes while Oscar Gonzalez nailed a three-pointer and Pau Alquezar gave L’Hospitalet the lead 10-9. Kevin Hangoue stopped the scoring rut and the French side led 10-13 after two free throws by Poinas just before the first quarter buzzer. After Noua pushed the lead to 10-15 to start the second quarter, Alquezar nailed a three-ball and Ruf hit two baskets to knot the game at 17-17. ASVEL went scoreless for three minutes until Noua’s free throws to make it 17-19. After Pau Enfedaque evened the game at 19-19, the first half finished with a flurry of three-pointers with Poinas’ long ball being followed by one from Albert Ruiz and then Thomas Vincent ended the half with a triple for a 22-25 ASVEL lead. 

Vincent opened the second half with another three-pointer and Herrgott’s free throw made it 22-29. Garcia’s three was L’Hospitalet’s first score but Poinas answered with a triple. Poinas nailed another long ball, Noua completed a three-point play and Hangoue scored as ASVEL extended the advantage to 31-42. Garcia trimmed it to eight points with a long ball but Sofiane Briki scored as did Poinas as the cushion grew to 34-48 with 2:43 minutes left in the third quarter. L’Hospitalet woke up as Ruiz and Andreu Nicolau both nailed three-pointers and Javier Balastegui and Nicolau both hit baskets to get L’Hospitalet to within 44-50. Noua finished the third quarter with two free throws for a 44-52 ASVEL lead. Balastegui scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to four points. Noua got a basket to fall to make it 48-54 but Ruf would sandwiched two baskets around a Ruiz score to even the game at 54-54. L’Hospitalet had smelled blood while ASVEL could not score as Gonzalez gave the home team the lead and Garcia’s three made it 59-54. Noua snapped the 5:42 minute scoreless streak for a 59-56 game inside two minutes to play. But after Carlos Malagon made two free throws, Noua turned the ball over and Malagon was again fouled. He made the first free throw before missing the second though Ruf grabbed the offensive rebound and Malagon would nail a long ball for a 65-56 lead with 59 seconds to play. And Ruf’s basket to make it 67-56 with 44 seconds left decided the game for the home team.