We can not do more decimated than in Chartres, during this second phase which started with four defeats in as many matches for the troop of Sébastien Lambert. Already deprived of interiors Federico Ucles (aponeurosis) and Patrick Clerence (ischios), and despite the return of winger Dejan Sencanski, still handicapped by his wrist, the CCBM deplored for this trip, yesterday, at the Angevin leader, the absence of its best player and leader Yann Siegwarth, retained at the funeral of his grandmother. In addition, if they were well on the floor of Jean-Bouin, the leader Samir Mekdad, the rear Paul Bouloukouet and the strong winger Mounir Bernaoui, affected by bobology this week, were far from being at 100 %, according to manager Milan Vasic, worried before the meeting. It was therefore at nine, with the young Olivier Kabongo, two minutes of playing time this season (!), that the Chartrains presented themselves against a Star, her, in full force (12 men, and who played) and determined to get a little closer to the ProB…
Mekdad on fire!
So, as Géronte, a Moliéresque character, said, what was this Chartres going to do in this mess? Well, this Chartres did more than resist. He made life difficult for the undisputed leader so far of the N1. For more than three and a half quarters, Angers did not lead wide.
Kévin Thalien finds Angers
The Chartrains attacked this meeting a priori unbalanced. Mekdad, yet announced to be sickly, placed a few well-targeted mines and was already at eleven units after seven minutes (15-20). But it was not only the Algerian who was in tune. Thalien, dismissed from Jean-Bouin after six matches last season by the Angers leaders, also lit up 3 points, so that the CCBM reached the first quarter with a nest egg of 7 points (24-31, 10 ‘).
But we had not yet seen anything of the capacities of the Chartrains who continued to hurt at long distance. Captain Clerence’s teammates, in civilian clothes on the bench, were on cloud nine during this first period and would have a lead of up to 15 points (37-52, 18′) on a new basket from Mekdad. The former Limoges player was 22 points and Chartres 58 at the break (52-58) against Angevins who remained in the race, even if their leader Akaemji Williams had not yet come out of his box – two small points for the American.
Before returning to the court, the question: how long was this already heroic CCBM going to resist? The answer was not to be found in the third act. Although jostled by former Boulazac Stephan Gauthier and former resident of Rueil Karim Gourari (66-64, 26 ‘), the Chartrains remained in contact. And did even better by keeping control at the end of the third quarter thanks to the hard-hitting Doumbia (77-80, 30 ‘).
Chartres cracks in money-time
But what had to happen happened. At the start of the decisive round, Chartres cracked under the battering of Williams finally freed. The native of Detroit scored 13 points in this period and tipped the match, almost single-handedly, in the form of a 13-0 (86-87, 35′ then 99-87, 39′). This time, mass was said. Chartres out of gas could not find its interiors Mukuna and Bernaoui who had already given everything. Angers could unroll and afford a victory with forceps, but oh so precious. Now with a two-point lead over Poitiers and the point-average over PB86, it’s hard to see who could stop Sylvain Delorme’s men from their ProB dream…
ANGERS (Maine-et-Loire, Jean-Bouin room). Etoile Angers beat C’Chartres BM 101 to 89 (half-time: 52-58) (quarter-time: 24-31, 28-27, 25-22, 24-9). Referees: Messrs. Lohezic and Niang. Spectators: around 2,000.
Angers : Gauthier (13), Smock (7), Gourari (17), Eboh (7), Williams (15) then Choua (13), Haddad (10), Nkounkou (4), Morose (4), Lavieille (2), Real (0), Malonga (9).
49% shooting success (39/71) including 41% at 3 points (14/34). 80% on free throws (17/21). 36 rebounds (Gourari, 8). 19 stray bullets. 28 fouls.
C’Chartres BM : Thalien (19), Bouloukouet (0), Bernaoui (9), Mekdad (23), Mukuna (10) then Doumbia (11), Kabongo (-), Békoulé-Ekambi (8), Sencanski (9).
54% shooting success (29/53) including 36% at 3 points (8/22). 71% on free throws (23/32). 29 rebounds (Bernaoui, 7). 22 stray bullets. 19 fouls.
Difference : +12 for Angers (99-87, 39′); +15 for Chartres (37-52, 18′).
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Jean-Andre Provost
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