BetclicElite 2024-2025 (13th day). A week after their success against the Parisian armada, the MSB players returned to Antarès/Salle Christian Baltzer for the traditional Christmas match. After a first act to the advantage of Stade Rochelais, the locals took control without delivering a flamboyant match.
The Manceaux were picked up cold by the restless Rochelais (0-5, 2′). Trevor Hudgins, in his favorite exercise, put the Sarthois team into orbit (3-5, 3′). But the visitors accelerated the movement and played with more precision than their hosts (3-14, 6′). Imprecise and mishandled, the locals saw the visitors widen the gap without being able to react (5-16, 7′). Despite some flashes from Noah Penda, Guillaume Vizade's men were out of their depth in this first act dominated by Stade Rochelais (13-23, 10').
At the start of the 2nd quarter, Moore released a furious dunk to confirm La Rochelle's domination. But the locals came to their senses and were more efficient in their attempts, like the two winning shots from Tray Buchanan and David DiLeo (21-25, 12'). Hard-hitting and diligent, the Tangos finally took the match into their own hands. They took control with a nice inspiration from Yeguete and a long-range shot from Delaunay (32-28, 15′). The visitors suffered euphoria and great defensive pressure from Le Mans Sarthe Basket (35-30, 18′). The locals controlled the proceedings and returned to the locker room with a 10-point lead (42-32, 20′).
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The game lost intensity after the break and the clumsiness won over both camps (44-34, 27′). The ten players showed real difficulty in concluding their offensives (48-42, 26′). At the end of a dull and sluggish third act, Thomas and his partners preserved their leadeven if Sanchez and Rochelais were far from having said their last word (58-47, 30′).
Without overheating the match, DiLeo and others stayed the course and kept control of the proceedings (71-59, 36′; 73-63, 37′). If the spectacle was rarely there, the public stood up to cheer a stratospheric shot from Buchanan on the outskirts (80-68, 39′). Suffice to say that victory could no longer escape the Sarthois team which will be able to approach the truce warmly (
Photos : Adam MISTRIN.
Texte : Jaheli HOME.
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