FC Barcelona closed out a demanding road week with a 98–91 win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Friday, January 23, leaning on second-half execution from Kevin Punter and Toko Shengelia at the Astroballe.
The result lifted the Blaugrana to 16–8 in the EuroLeague standings and completed a perfect double-round road week after entering the game on the back of two consecutive away losses.
ASVEL, despite sitting near the bottom of the table at 6–18, set the tone early and challenged Barcelona throughout the first half. Glynn Watson led the charge, scoring 17 points before the break on 7-of-9 shooting as the hosts carried a 49–47 lead into halftime.
The French side played with pace and physicality, taking advantage of early defensive lapses and forcing Barcelona into difficult possessions. The visitors struggled to establish rhythm before the interval, particularly on the defensive end.
The game turned immediately after the restart through Shengelia’s all-around impact. The forward opened the third quarter with eight straight points, drew two fouls, added a steal, and tied the game at 57–57 during a critical early stretch.
Momentum then swung decisively once Punter found space on the perimeter. The veteran guard scored 11 unanswered points, including three three-pointers, to push Barcelona in front 68–60 and force ASVEL to chase the game.
Villeurbanne responded early in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 78–76 on a Mbaye Ndiaye basket. The push proved short-lived as Punter and Shengelia combined for 16 of Barcelona’s final 20 points to seal the outcome.
Punter finished with 31 points on 7-of-8 shooting inside the arc, 4-of-6 from three-point range, and 5-of-7 at the free-throw line. The performance followed a difficult outing earlier in the week and capped a 51-point scoring stretch across two games.
Shengelia delivered 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting, added five rebounds and three assists, and went a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. The duo accounted for over half of Barcelona’s scoring and anchored the decisive second half.
Barcelona shot 63.2 percent from three-point range and 68.8 percent on two-point attempts, offsetting 17 turnovers with efficient shot selection and timely execution late.
Watson led ASVEL with 23 points, while Braian Angola added 16 and Paul Eboua chipped in 11. The hosts shot well inside the arc but were unable to sustain defensive pressure after halftime.
Barcelona travels to Greece next week to face Olympiacos Piraeus, while ASVEL continues its homestand against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens searching for answers amid a difficult stretch.
