A combination between the 8th and 9th days of the SB League was on the program for Saturday. In the end, Friborg Olympic and the Geneva Lions won. But the two leaders of the Swiss championship did not experience the same evening at all.
On Saturday, Friborg hosted Monthey. Nothing new under the Swiss basketball sun. The Friborgs won once again, without trembling too much, with a score of 106-90 (64-42). One observation, even if it is anecdotal: the Olympians lost the second half 42-48. However, this performance did not earn BBC Monthey any points. But it proves that the people of Valais are doing a little better. Last Saturday, they beat Nyon in Vaud (69-72).
In the standings, Friborg, still undefeated in seven matches, retains the lead. As for the Montheysans, with their four small units, they still remain at the bottom of the hierarchy, in 7th place, tied on points with Starwings and Nyon. They must stay focused and already look ahead to their Swiss Cup match on Sunday. They will travel to Veyrier (1st league) to play in the round of 16.
For the other co-leader, with 14 points (but in eight games), victory took time to take shape. The Geneva Lions won their duel against Starwings (83-85), in the Sporthalle in Birsfelden. But they played at scaring each other.
After a well-controlled first half (41-50), things got complicated in the third quarter. The Basel first came back to 61-62, then they even took the advantage at 78-75 3’19 from the end of the match. Starwings retained the lead until 1’12 from the final siren (83-80). But the last five points were from Geneva: Isaiah Williams (3) and Dylan Painter (2).
In the last match of the evening between French-speaking clubs, Pully-Lausanne dominated BBC Nyon 94-78, at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in front of 728 spectators. Coach Randoald Dessarzin’s men made the difference from the start of the game by ending the first quarter in a dry manner, winning 29-16.
The rest of the debate was balanced. The visitors got back in the direction of march to almost equalize with the Lausanne residents until the end of the match. But the damage was already done.
In the ranking, these two teams are in the soft underbelly of the Swiss first division championship: Pully-Lausanne is 4th with eight points and Nyon is in 6th place with four points.
