Not a bad EuroLeague debut after all...

Setting aside the well-worn narrative of the Black-and-Whites struggling offensively whenever Carlik Jones is off his game, Partizan's defeat against ASVEL provided a first look at two newcomers in Joan Peñarroya's lineup—Antonio Reeves and Robert Franks. Both players made their EuroLeague debuts in Lyon, making their performances worthy of a closer look...

After hitting the game-winner against Spartak Subotica over the weekend and proving to coach Peñarroya that he is a genuine offensive weapon, Reeves had a far quieter outing tonight. However, it was by no means a poor showing.

Late in the opening quarter, he strung together five quick points to trim ASVEL's sizeable lead. That said, across the rest of the game—playing nearly 20 minutes in total—he faded into the background. To be fair, he did not look to attack ASVEL's basket often, finishing the contest shooting 1-of-2 from inside the arc and 1-of-2 from three-point range.

Naturally, Reeves will need time to fully grasp and adapt to Peñarroya's basketball philosophy, adjust to an entirely new team hierarchy, and find his footing within a different role. Even from this small sample size, though, it is clear that the American guard possesses a remarkably soft shooting touch and could develop into a dependable scoring option.

As for Franks, he logged just 16 minutes and also made a strong impression. While he did miss a pair of open triples and had an awkward moment against a closeout—picking up an offensive foul after getting caught without a dribble—he strung together five crucial points late in the third quarter to give Partizan a three-point lead. First, he finished cleanly at the rim off a feed from Nikola Tanasković, before sinking a buzzer-beating three from the corner.

In the fourth quarter, he added a block and three rebounds, ending the night with seven points, five boards, an assist, and one turnover. It is also worth noting that, unlike Reeves, Franks had not played a single ABA League game for Partizan before stepping onto the EuroLeague stage.

It is only natural that he will require time to settle in and show what he is truly capable of. He brings great physicality and athleticism, crashes the glass effectively, and, most importantly, never hesitates to let it fly from beyond the arc—the exact reason Partizan signed him to provide spacing as a stretch big. The only question now is whether he can hit those perimeter shots consistently...

VIDEO What a dunk by Stevens: Partizan battles back to level the score in Lyon after a dreadful start!