Le Mans falls in Cholet, dark Dijon in Limoges, Nanterre falls to Orléans
All the teams playing at home in this seventh day of the Championship have won, especially the poorly classified, like Orleans, Cholet or Limoges.
Orleans-Nanterre: 95-81 (ap)
Co-red lantern of the elite with Paris (a victory in six matches before Saturday), which created the biggest surprise of the evening by dominating Asvel (82-79), Orléans returned to victory against Nanterre thanks to to … two former JSF players. The impressive slaughter of the leader Chris Warren (27 points, 6/7 at 3 points, a slew of decisive shots at the end of regulation time then those allowing to widen the gap in overtime, 9 assists), and from the inside Youssou Ndoye (11/17 shooting, 26 points, 8 rebounds), made the difference and offered their second success to Germain Castano’s men. Nanterre hung on thanks to Chris Horton (20 points) and Tom Wimbush (17), but sees his record go into the negative (3 wins – 4 losses).
Limoges-Dijon: 82-57
After his defeat in Malaga in the Champions League on Monday (54-83), Dijon had an identical evening at Beaublanc, crushed by Limoges, who joined him in the standings (3-4, 9th). Faced with CJ Massinburg (24 points, 3/4 to 3 points, 6 rebounds) and Nicolas Lang (16 points), the JDA never existed, held at 23 points in the second half, clumsy (36% shooting ), interpreted in collective play and intensity. The Betclic Elite finalist, where David Holston and Gavin Ware (19 and 13 points) scored more than half of the team’s points, will then receive Champagne Basket and then Orléans.
Cholet-Le Mans: 94-88
Spanked at Roanne (81-105) after winning at Limoges (91-79), a cyclothymic Cholet wanted to bounce back against the more stable Manceaux. Laurent Vila’s men pocketed the West derby thanks to a euphoric first half (59-51), an oiled collective (25 assists) and good management after the locker room, around Dominic Artis (21 points ) and Darrin Govens (16 points, 10 assists). Cunningham (19 points, 8 rebounds), Narrace (18 points) and Thomas (12 and 9) stand out on the Sarthois side. Cholet recorded a third success (3-4), his first at home, Le Mans a third setback (4-3).
Strasbourg-Roanne: 93-88
In an indecisive meeting, Strasbourg upheld the logic against Roanne and remains stuck in the leading pack, tied with Asvel (5 wins – 2 losses), behind Boulogne-Levallois (6-1) and Monaco (5 -1). In his misfortune, the coach of the Choir Jean-Denys Choulet, who made the SIG tremble, may find a positive element: it is a player that he himself had put in the spotlight, and led to the title with Chalon in 2017, John Roberson (27 points, 7/12 to 3 points, 5 assists), who overthrew his own. Roanne side, it is another nugget unearthed by the same Choulet, his pocket leader Loren Jackson (19 points), who led the resistance. Roanne remains in the last car (2-5), tied with Paris, Orléans and Le Portel.
Pau-Lacq-Orthez – Fos-sur-Mer: 76-74
Faced with an uninhibited promoted who remained on three wins in four matches, Pau, led by nine points (57-66, 34th), relied on Brandon Jefferson (25 points, 5 assists) and Vitalis Chikoko (11 points, 9 rebounds) to snatch victory. Enough to survive an evening long-distance shoot sale, which Eric Bartecheky’s men abused (32 of their 55 shoots, 8 converts). Pau (4-3) remains in the top 8 (5th).