Partizan’s win over Crvena Zvezda ended a three-game Euroleague losing streak and restored some of the team’s confidence. The next step was to carry the strong stretch of play from the derby into a road game against ASVEL, a team that had won just twice in its first seven games. In Villeurbanne, Partizan put itself in position to build on that progress. But the way it let the opportunity slip away exposed problems Joan Peñarroya and his players have yet to solve.
Partizan spent much of the game playing from behind, having to fight back from significant deficits twice before playing well enough to build an 11-point lead. With 4:24 remaining and Partizan ahead 73-65, the visitors appeared to have taken control. They needed to close out the game with composure. Instead, ASVEL outscored them 17-2 the rest of the way and won 82-75.
The start was particularly poor. ASVEL raced out to an 11-1 lead, Partizan answered with a 10-0 run, but midway through the second quarter, the visitors found themselves trailing by double digits again, 36-25. They struggled on the glass, committed turnovers and missed free throws. Still, they managed to keep the game within reach. By halftime, they had cut the deficit to four points before finding a much better offensive rhythm after the break.
The Final Four Minutes Were a Complete Offensive Breakdown
Partizan opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run, got Kevarrius Hayes involved, received important contributions from Ethan Thompson and then five consecutive points from newcomer Robert Franks late in the period. Luca Vildoza followed by making three of his four attempts from beyond the arc, playing a major role in building a 69-58 lead. During that stretch, Partizan moved the ball well and created opportunities through several players.
After Hayes scored to make it 73-65, Partizan did not make another field goal. A breakdown of the final 20 possessions shows a succession of missed two-point shots, unsuccessful attempts from deep and a turnover. The offense lost its structure, and players increasingly waited for someone to stop ASVEL’s run with an individual play.
Patty Mills hit a three to cut the deficit to 73-68, followed by a difficult long-range shot from Hugo Besson that made it 73-71. Mills then tied the game with two free throws before Jae Crowder scored on consecutive possessions to put ASVEL ahead 77-73. Following a technical foul on Peñarroya and more points from the home team, the run reached 15-0. Lamar Stevens finally ended Partizan’s scoring drought from the free-throw line with 37 seconds remaining.
Carlik Could Not Rescue the Offense This Time
After an excellent performance against Crvena Zvezda, Carlik Jones finished with seven points, five assists and four turnovers in Villeurbanne. Down the stretch, he could not create an advantage off the dribble or generate quality offensive opportunities. Jones was hardly the only problem, though. Partizan had shown earlier in the game that it could function well without him initiating every possession, but it could not turn to those alternatives in the decisive minutes.
Peñarroya identified the lack of offensive organization as the main problem after the game. He spoke about his team abandoning its collective approach, poor ball movement and questionable shot selection. Vildoza offered a similar assessment, acknowledging that the players had become too static and did not know what to do.
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Peñarroya is still trying to establish a system with a roster that underwent significant changes over the summer and has now added two more players. Antonio Reeves and Robert Franks have only just arrived, so it is understandable that their on-court chemistry with their teammates is not yet where it needs to be. Franks scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in his Euroleague debut, while Reeves added five points. Both will need time to settle fully into their new surroundings.
The Same Loss of Control Has Happened Before
The absence of Tonye Jekiri is another major issue. His importance is particularly evident in rebounding and interior play, two areas where Partizan struggled against ASVEL. The home team collected 15 offensive rebounds and turned its second-chance opportunities into 18 points, 11 more than Partizan. Hayes was Partizan’s most productive player with 15 points and eight rebounds, but he also missed eight two-point attempts and three free throws, and he was most productive during the first half. As a team, the visitors shot just 12-for-21 from the line.
ASVEL leaned on the experience of Mills and Crowder in the closing minutes. The Australian scored 14 points without committing a turnover, while Crowder made two crucial shots to put the home team ahead and then extend its lead. Both capitalized on Partizan’s growing frustration as ASVEL erased an 11-point deficit.
The concern for Partizan is that these dramatic swings have appeared before. Against Fenerbahce, the team suffered a major drop-off in the third quarter. In the Belgrade derby, Partizan held a 15-point lead with eight minutes remaining, only to allow Crvena Zvezda back into the game before eventually securing a narrow victory. In Villeurbanne, a similar loss of control resulted in defeat. The situations were not identical, but in each game, Partizan went through a stretch in which it struggled to respond to an opponent’s run.
These Are Growing Pains, but They Are Already Costing Games
To a large extent, these are the growing pains of a new team. Partizan is still searching for its most reliable lineups and a way to maintain its level of play when opponents become more aggressive. The offensive execution in the third quarter gave Peñarroya something to build on. His team now needs to sustain that level of organization and composure when opponents start cutting into a lead.
The loss in Villeurbanne will sting because Partizan showed enough quality to win despite spending much of the night playing from behind. With an eight-point lead and just over four minutes remaining, it lacked the concentration and decision-making to finish the job. Those growing pains are understandable for a reshaped roster, but they do little to ease the frustration of a missed opportunity.
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