Paul Lacombe energizes Strasbourg, to give “the best for this city”
By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
SIG Strasbourg, home of Paul Lacombe from 2013 to 2017, reunited with the French swingman a few weeks ago. It didn’t take long for Lacombe to become a factor in a big win.
With new head coach Luca Banchi in charge, Strasbourg remained calm and came back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Tofas Bursa on the road on day four of the Basketball Champions League regular season on Tuesday. Flipping the tables in the visitors’ favor was a 16-0 run fueled by Lacombe scoring nine of his 13 points. Marcus Keene scoring six points in the last minute sealed the deal.
“I’m not sure the fans expect points from me. I’m not a goalscorer,” he replied to Eurohoops about his impressive contribution in Turkey, “But I can give energy and my experience in difficult times. I can slow down the tempo, necessary on some occasions. In any case, I will try to always give the best of myself for this city.
Now 3-1, Strasbourg can potentially clinch the top seed in Group A by earning a direct ticket to Matchday 16 with victory over UCAM Murcia at Rhenus Sport, two weeks from now. Falco Vulcano Szombathely’s visit on Dec. 21 marks the Gameday 6 match, the last on the doubles round-robin schedule.
“It was not the start we expected in the national championship” admitted Lacombe referring to the poor record of 2-7 in the French Betclic Elite LNB Pro A, “But the team remained solid in the BCL. This gives us confidence for the rest of the season. And if we win the small final against Murcia, we will gain extra time to focus on the French championship, that would be great.
The team established in Alsace is a lasting originality of the BCL. The campaigns date back to Lacombe’s initial stint at the club. In 2016-17, he averaged 7.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per game until Strasbourg found themselves on the wrong side of a home-and-away series against Aris. As well as playing in the inaugural Champions League season, he won the Cup and Leaders Cup with the SIGmen in 2015.
Moving to AS Monaco for the second edition of the BCL, he helped La Roca team qualify for the Final Four league game with 9.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 interceptions and 0.5 blocks per game. The common link with Strasbourg was AEK knocking out their previous Champions League side and later overtaking Monaco to become champions in the 2017-18 season.
“We are going step by step, trying to win every game”, he pointed out when outlining the party’s approach for the 2022-23 campaign, “We have a good team for the BCL. I hope we can do our best. The quarter-finals can be a realistic goal.
Since his departure, a run to the semi-finals in the 2020-21 season and a few quarter-final berths in 2017-18 and 2021-22 have shaped the SIGmen’s efforts in FIBA’s continental club competition. Quite a CV, despite the outings below the Playoffs in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
Lacombe, 32, from ASVEL’s youth program, turned professional in 2008-09 on the way to becoming French champion in the league for the first time. After stints in Strasbourg and Monaco, he joined LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2020 and won two more league championships before the last big comeback marking his career at the end of October. Returning to Strasbourg with much more experience and high ambitions can be an explosive combination.
Photo credit: Basketball Champions League