Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Tuesday December 3, 2024 at 11:00 p.m.
Cholet won the 100% French match in the second round of the FIBA Europe Cup by narrowly defeating Portel, with a score of 85-82.
After a well-conducted first phase of the FIBA Europe Cup, Cholet and Le Portel, two of the three French clubs still in the running (with Dijon), began the second phase this Tuesday, with a match between them at La Meilleraie. And CB, currently leader of Betclic Elite, enforced logic by beating ESSM, antepenultimate. But the meeting was more complicated than expected for the Choletais, only winning by three points: 85-82. They actually led by sixteen points, but ultimately scared each other in the final moments. Cholet started the match in the best way by leading by fifteen points at the end of the first quarter (34-19), then by sixteen at the start of the second (40-24). But the Portelois gradually returned to the match, reducing the gap to -6 at half-time (51-45).
Campbell hero of Cholet
However, CB regained control of the match and regained a ten-point lead (60-50), before cracking, conceding a 13-0 straddling the last two quarters, which allowed the ESSM to lead 66-70. Once again, Cholet recovered, and the two teams took turns leading the scoreboard. With 2'26 remaining, the score was 80-80. Meyniel responded to McNeace (82-82), but there were only 19 seconds left on the clock, and it was finally TJ Campbell (top Cholet scorer with 16pts) who offered the victory to Cholet by scoring three points at seven seconds from the buzzer. Diawara then blocked Gholston's shot (Portel's top scorer with 17pts), and the victory was in the pocket for the Mauges club. Within this group L, the first two (out of four) will qualify for the quarter-finals. Next Tuesday, Cholet will travel to the Spaniards of Bilbao, while Le Portel will host the Italians of Sassari.
The Cholet markers: Wheeler (3), Melvin (9), Smith (14), De Sousa (2), McNeace (15), Ayayi (14), Mohamed Diawara (2), Bracq (6), Vautier (4), Campbell (16 )
Portelois markers: Gholston (17), Konaté (8), Diawara (15), Meyniel (6), Esso Essis (5), Février (5), Nunge (7), Zoriks (7), Boyer (12)
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