Le Mans first win in this year competition came on the road against VEF Riga.

Only two games on this Tuesday evening in Eurocup, where VEF Riga hosted the French’s Le Mans and Geescrap Bilbao Basket travelled to Belgium to fight against Belgacom Spirou Basket.

In the first game of the night, the Latvians lost their first game of this year’s competition after an epic battle that had 12 ties and 16 lead changes. In the end, with a late run Le Mans got the win, 80-89.

Joao Paulo Batista was the MVP of the match for the French team finishing with 22 points and 4 boards for a 25 of index rating. Batista was well seconded El-Amin Khalid who came in clutch and had 12 points with 3 assists.

On the Riga side, Kaspars Berzins was the best man with 23 points and 8 boards and Dairis Bertans had another good shooting performance finishing with 16 points shooting more than 60%.

The game was a back and forth continued offensive action with both teams trading baskets for most of the first half, where neither of them had a lead bigger than 3 points. First 20 minutes of game finished in a 42-42 tie and the winner was an open answer for the second half.

Starting the second half Le Mans made a quick 2-10 run to put them in front, but like in the first twenty minutes VEF Riga cut the lead and tied the game.  After that, Batista started a 0-6 run by himself that it was significant for the French aspirations and with that they never looked back getting their first win, on the road.

Belgium hosted the other game of this week 2 where Gescrap Bilbao Basket beat Belgacom Spirou Basket 69-85, making with that their second win of the competition.

With an amazing team effort (five players in double digits all of them with plus 13 index rating) Bilbao was a team tough to beat today. Nikos Zisis with 14 points and 9 assists and Kostas Vasileadis with 17 points and 6 rebounds were again the main attractions for the Spanish team.

On Spirou Basket side, veteran guard Matt Walsh was the main man with 26 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds (5-8 from 3 points range).

A 4-20 run by the Spaniards late in the second quarter was the crucial moment of the game, after that Spirou tried to get back but their effort wasn’t enough against such experienced and well-rounded team like this one.

After this victory, Geescrap Bilbao Basket continues in the 1st place of their group with a 2-0 score.