The people of Nantes face their responsibilities in Champagne!

Chalons-Reims, a current direct opponent for maintenance.

This is undoubtedly the first meeting of the season that we can, almost, qualify as capital for the players of the Nantes Basket Hermine. The current positioning in the ranking of the two protagonists clearly shows the extreme importance of a positive result for this 18^th Pro B day. Obviously, nothing will be prohibitive at the end of this last match of the calendar year. But let's recognize that a fifth Nantes success would still be welcome to wish each other a Happy New Year 2025 a few days later.

Soon the moment will shift into the second half of the season, and each positive event will take on real importance and above all influence a capital of confidence not yet fully established on the side of The Trocardière. We must hope that the home defeat against SCABB (77/87) have not slowed down the new dynamic and the real progress of the men of Rémy VALIN. The Nantes technician declared at the end of the meeting: « Tonight it's not a step back is a lesson for the future ».

The rest takes place this Friday evening at the Reims Arena against Châlons-Reims (18^th– 5V/12D). A Champagne team which gave itself a nice Christmas present before its time, by winning a precious victory (76/84) in Normandy facing the Caen Basket Club (7^th). People from Caen who had until then only lowered their flag twice in front of their public and who had to give in to the determination of the people of Champagne who were very lucid about the issue concerning them. The Captain's Returns GALLIOU and of Kevin SAMUEL, conjugated to arrival d'Idrissa BA have a priori done a lot of good to the men of Vincent DUMESTRE, determined to leave this uncomfortable area of ​​the Pro B ranking. The debates promise to be tough and contested between two teams who will both be perfectly aware of the importance and interest of the last episode of 2024.

Go Nantes Basket Hermine!

Car

LE « ROSTER » CHAMPENOIS :

Javon MASTERS : (CAN/JAM, 29 years old, Post 1, 183 Cm) – 1^era Season at the Club – Ourense Spanish L2 (2018/19), DinamoBucaresti Romanian L1 (2019/21), CSM Galati Romanian L1 (2021/22), Stade Rochelais Pro B (2022/23), Tigers Tübingen (11 Matches) German L1, Pau- Lacq-Orthez (19 Matches) Pro B and Ottawa Blackjacks (10 Matches) Canadian L2 (2023/24) – Top scorer in the Canadian university championship…Took his stripes in Pro B with La Rochelle and Pau-Lacq-Orthez. Taken on the role of boss within a young team. Reference match on 10/29 against Hyères/Toulon with 19 Pts, 4/6 to 2 Pts, 2/2 to 3 Pts, 5/5 to Throws, 2 Rebounds, 6 Passes, 6 Caused Faults for 25 Rating. To date he compiles averages of 13.2 Pts, 3.1 Rebounds, 4.6 Passes for 13.5 Rating per 29 Minutes.

Domnik BRIDGEWATER : (FRA/BAH, 24 ans, Poste 2/1, 180 Cm)- 1^era Season at the club – Fos-sur-Mer U21 and Pro B (2018/21), Avignon Le Pontet NM1 (2023/24) – Bahamian International (2021/24) – Player with explosive qualities – French naturalized JFL status. Reference match against Caen on 12/21 with 17 Points, 3 Rebounds, 5 Passes, 4/7 to 2 Points, 2/4 to 3 Points, 3/3 to Throws, 2 Interceptions, 3 Caused Fouls, 20 Rating for 23 Minutes.

Killian MALWAYA : (FRA, 19 years old, Post 2/3, 197 Cm)-1^era Season at the club – Pôle France NM1 (2019/20), ASVEL U21 (2020/22), Paris U21 and Elite (2022/23), Evreux Pro B (2023/24) – 17 European matches in U18 with ASVEL (ANGT) and 8 in Eurocup with Paris – 19 times International in U16 (Euro), U17 (World Cup), U18 (Euro) – Reference match on 11/10 against St-Chamond with 18 Pts, 5/8 to 2 Pts, 2/4 to 3 Pts, 2/2 to Throws, 2 Rebounds, 1 Block, 4 Interceptions, 16 Rating for 26 Minutes. Not spared by the injuries which disrupted his development…

Hasan VARENCE : (USA, 27 years old, Post 4, 198 Cm)- 1^era Season at the club – 1 Season in NCAA (2016/17), Alkar L1 Croatia (2020/21), St-Chamond Pro B (2021/23), Melilla Ciudad Del Deporte 1 Spanish L2 (2023/24) – Four matches over 20 of Evaluation including that of the success in Caen last weekend: 20 Pts, 5/7 to 2 Pts, 3/4 to 3 Points, 6 Rebounds, 1 Pass, 1 Block, 2 Caused Fouls for 22 Rating in 31 Minutes. One of the men in form of the season with 12.9 Pts, 56.8% at 2 Pts, 39% at 3 Pts, 7 Rebounds, 15 Rating for 31.7 Minutes.

Kevin SAMUEL : (ANT, 27 years old, Post 5, 210 Cm) – 1^era Season at the club – 5 NCAA Seasons (2018/23), Aix-Maurienne Pro B (2023/24) – Latest recruit to arrive in the off-season, short of form and knee pain which kept him away from the field. Just signed a great performance for his first match of the season against Caen: 9 points, 4/7 to 2 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 provoked fouls, 16 Rating for 23 Minutes. Excellent presence near the circle!

Guillaume GROTZINGER :(FRA, 20 years old, Post 1, 183 Cm) – 1^era Season at the club – Trained in Nancy U21B, U21 and Elite (2021/24) – MVP of the U21 Championship on loan from Nancy – Talented player, strong potential. Must win athletically to be at the top in the pros. Reference match of the season in Poitiers at the beginning of October: 19 Pts, 7/12 to 2 Pts, 1/2 to 3 Pts, 7 Rebounds, 7 Passes, 6 Instigated Faults with 27 Rating for 22 Minutes.

Mattéo LEGAT : (FRA, 28 years old, Post 2, 192 Cm) ​​– 1^era Season at the club – St-Chamond Pro B (2016-20), Blois Pro B (2020/21), Poitiers NM1 (2021/22), Rueil NM1 (2022/23), Nantes Pro B (2023/24) – Coming out of a good season with Nantes, player with intensity and good defensive qualities – His progress in winning shots means he is used as a fullback/shooter. Reference match of the season at home against Aix-Maurienne despite the defeat: 21 Pts, 2/2 to 2 Pts, 3/4 to 3 Pts, 8/8 to Throws, 7 Provoked Faults, 20 Evaluation for 22 Minutes.

Marc GOSSELIN : (FRA/USA, 28 ans, Poste 3/4, 201 Cm) – 1^era Season at the club – 4 Seasons of NCAA (2015/19), SOM Boulogne NM1 (2019/20), Aurore Vitré NM1 (2020/21), Vendée Challans Basket NM1 (2022/24) – Was biding his time in Pro B – His physical presence seems perfectly suited to do well in the division. To date compiles 6.9 Pts, 58.7% at 2 Pts, 41% at 3 Pts, 76.2% on Throws, 3.4 Rebounds, 1.2 Caused Fouls with 8.3 Rating for 21.2 Minutes.

Charles GALLIOU : (FRA, 28 years old, Post 4/3, 202 Cm)- 1^era Season at the club– LDCL ASVEL U21 and Elite (2013/16), Antibes Elite (2016/17), Lille Pro B (2017/18), ASVEL Elite (2018/20), Dijon Elite (2020/22), Rouen Pro B (2023 /24) – 36 European Matcheswith ASVEL EU-3, EU-2 and Euroleague – 22 Champions League matches with Dijon – International U20 for the EURO – Double champion of France, 3^th of Champions League with Dijon, semi-finalist of Pro B with Rouen – Game facilitator for his partners and good defender. Coming off a prolonged injury absence. Well known and appreciated by the people of Nantes since he cut his teeth in Loire-Atlantique –

Idrissa BA : (SEN, 22 years old, Post 5, 213 Cm) – 1^era Season at the club (Loaned by Le Portal since 09/12/24 to strengthen the domestic sector) – Le Havre NM1 (2021/22), Boulogne-Levallois, U21 and Elite (2022/23), Paul-Lacq-Orthez Pro B (2023/24) then Le Portel Elite (10 Matches before loan). Played alongside “Wemby” with the “Mets” 6 Stopped by a shoulder injury, he found his level with Pau (best rebounder in Pro B per minute with 5.9 Shots per 15 Minutes). Played only two matches with his new partners.

NEEDED Samuel : (FRA, 23 years old, Post 5, 207 Cm)- 1^era Season at the club – Trained at Nanterre U21 and Elite (2017/22) and a short stint of 11 matches at Rueil in NM1 (2019/20), Aix-Maurienne Pro B (2022/23), Mulhouse NM1 (2023/24) – International U17 (7 World Cup matches 2018/19) and 4 Eurocup matches with Nanterre (2020/21) – Injured in his hand since December 5, he will probably be absent for several weeks.

Info Club you 20/12/24 – The club has decided to cease its collaboration with Benoît MBALA. The player arrived at the end of September to compensate for the injury absence of Kevin SAMUEL.

COLLECTIVE STATISTICS:

11^th Attack of the division with an average of 80.8 Pts registered et 19^th Defense pour 88 Pts collected. Châlons-Reims presents a record of 5V/12Dwith a ratio of 3V/5D. Victories obtained against Vichy 81/73, Pau-Lacq-Orthez 84/78 et Chartres 101/83 for defeats conceded against Roanne (81/91), Orleans83/90, Blois 89/90, Rouen 67/100et Aix-Maurienne 94/102. During home victories, the Champagne region recorded an average of 88.3 Pts and concede 78 Pts. 17^th place on rebound activity (33.4), 16^th rang to collective evaluations with an average of 84.7, 12^th to the number of interceptions with 6.9 balls won. Current first place with a number of 23.4 caused fouls which demonstrates the commitment of this team. Concerning shooting success, it is 51.2% at 2 Pts, 33.3% at 3Ptset 76.1% on Throws.

MASTERS (13.2 Points, 3.1 Rebounds), VARENCE (12.9 Points, 7 Rebounds), BRIDGEWATER (10.3 Pts), BOUND (9.4 Pts), the returns of GALLIOU et SAMUEL and the integration of BA will be the main axes of concentration of the Nantes defense.