Coupe de France: eliminated by Pau-Orthez, Limoges CSP was not up to par

History will remember that the Limoges CSP let slip an ersatz clasico which nevertheless held out its arms to it. On paper at least, because in reality, it was something else during a sad evening for the Limougauds. A sad match.

Even the public at the Palais des Sports did not seem to believe in a happy outcome before kick-off. If he whistled the entry onto the Limougeauds floor, with a special mention for Nicolas Lang, the heart was not really there in the stands. As if the outcome of this match was in no doubt.

Bluiett, the only one to truly survive

But it’s difficult to remain completely unmoved when the poster has unleashed passions for so many years. So when Bastien Pinault found the target from afar to offer twelve lengths ahead to the Palois who left with a bonus of 7 points due to the division gap between the two teams, a wind of hope ran through the spans of a half-empty room (17-5). Not in a great evening in terms of address, Limoges CSP put its destiny in the hands of Trevon Bluiett. The only one to truly survive during this first period.

As a symbol, it was the US rear, already indispensable to its team, which put the two teams back on an equal footing (28-28). We were already playing the 17th minute and the opportunities to get up from your seat were rare. The old glories of Elan like Freddy Hufnagel, Mathieu Bisseni and Paul Anderson, attended a sanitized clasico, far from the battles of yesteryear. A tasteless match like the first period of a Malik Osborne, again too discreet, a well-monitored Nicolas Lang or a Mohamed Diarra not in the game. At the break, this Limoges CSP, disappointing, very far from the attractive team beaten on Saturday in Bourg-en-Bresse, was still led by a Pau team yet deprived of its best player, the American Christopher Ledlum (33-31 ). While dozing, the Limoges CSP would succeed in their only two exploits of the evening: giving their opponent confidence and waking up the Pau enclosure. Nicolas Lang not having a good evening, the Limougeauds have long had to rely on Trevon Bluiett alone to fuel the mark. Insufficient, especially since the CSP was content to duck from afar without much success and making a few surprising choices (10 out of 40). The Palois regained their seven-point lead two minutes from the end of the third quarter on a winning shot from their American leader Keshun Sherrill (43-36).

Missed money time

The Limougeaud bench was not leading but was blowing a little following a basket from Mamadou Guissé and especially a very distant shot from Vincent Amsellem far from hiding. It was also the former leader of Boulazac who put his team back in control of the match from the start of the last act by once again finding the three-point target (45-46).

Did the Limoges CSP think they had done the hardest part? Perhaps, but it was far from the truth, because Pau had no intention of giving up and Walter Whyte cooked a 2+1 on the counterattack (57-51). New proof that no clasico is a match like any other. Frustrated by the end of his meeting in Bourg-en-Bresse, Alexandre Chassang was not trembling this time. He scored four points in a row. Then, Vincent Amsellem, again, stole a precious ball and Trevon Bluiett put Limoges back in front (58-57, 38th). The suspense then became unbearable. Keshun Sherrill, the leader of Pau, took matters into his own hands and lifted the Palais by scoring a three-point shot 40 seconds from the end (62-60). On the following action, Trevon Bluiett missed his two free throws and the trap closed on a very sad CSP last night who put himself on the level of his opponent rather than that of history.

The CSP started the meeting with a handicap of seven points.