Poitiers 76 – Boulazac 86
Lieu Poitiers (Arena Futuroscope). Referees MM. Vansteene, Monsire et Dall’Osto. Quart-temps 17-15 ; 27-28 ; 16-21 ; 16-22.
POITIERS 28 successful shots out of 59 attempted including 7 out of 22 at three points; 13 free throws out of 28 attempted. 38 rebounds (Blair and Jeann, 8) including 14 offensive. 12 assists (Blair and Ramljak, 3). 19 lost balls. 27 personal fouls.
The markers: Fibleuil (6), Blair (21), Eyango (1), Ojiako, Brena-Chemille (7) then Prot (6), Harley (3), Rupnik (5), Balfourier, Jeanne (17), Ramljak (10) .
BOULAZAC 29 successful shots out of 59 attempted including 8 out of 27 at three points; 20 free throws out of 29 attempted. 30 rebounds (Kruball and Robineau, 5) including 8 offensive ones. 12 assists (Robineau and Suka-Umu, 3). 16 bullets lost. 23 personal fouls.
The markers: Warner (13), Krubally (16), Eliezer-Vanerot (8), Robineau (15), Avea (6) then Le Lann (3), Suka-Umu (5), Mbye (9) and City (11). ).
A prize-winning basket from Hugo Robineau, a counter-attack from Thomas Ville and two classy actions from Angelo Warner. This is what allowed Boulazac Basket Dordogne to make the difference, in less than five minutes, Friday October 25 in Poitiers (76-86). By inflicting a 0-12 on the Viennese to start the fourth quarter, the Périgourdins put the lid on a match that had been tight for a very long time.
Respecting their promise, Alexandre Ménard’s men did not lose a second time in a row. On the contrary, they pocketed a sixth victory and returned to the podium. All this thanks to a defense found at the end of the match, even in tough situations, without disuniting. They left only crumbs for ten minutes for asphyxiated Poitevins.
Finally, without Louis Cassier
A boxing match. From the start, each team went shot for shot, dunk for dunk, lost ball for lost ball. Impossible to get rid of the opponent, or not for long. In a full Futuroscope Arena, visibly too full for the stats to be published live, Poitiers and Boulazac remained glued to the scoreboard.
The inevitable Blair put the Poitevins on the right path (4-0) but he found Ousman Krubally on his way. The American-Gambian, helped by Babacar Mbye or Cyrille Eliezer-Vanerot, had to work hard to maneuver in the racket. Firstly because Louis Cassier, injured in the back, had stayed to be treated in Périgord. Then because Jonathan Jeanne (2.18 m) and John Ojiako (2.05 m) are great towers to get around to approach the circle.
So the BBD had to find solutions. Drives from Hugo Robineau to get ahead of them or a hyper-precise passing game to turn the ball, stretch the defense and bring out the big boys. In the first quarter, it worked in fits and starts, because the whole thing was not supported by enough wide skill (15-13, 8th).
But when Thomas Ville and especially Angelo Warner set their sights behind the 6.75 m line, the machine started. Offensively, Boulazac had a more than decent game. On the other hand, the defense was not as airtight as desired. “We have to make stops and control the rebound,” Robineau whispered at half-time at the microphone of France 3.
Final demonstration
Defensively, after the break, the Périgourdins raised their voice. But Krubally, in the oven and in the mill, a fighter like hell, found himself under the threat of mistakes, like Mbye (eliminated in the 29th minute) and Eliezer-Vanerot as well as Ojiako on the Pictave side. Certainly, there were lost balls on both sides, certainly Blair and Jeanne carried the PB86 (55-52, 27th).
But Boulazac showed resource. Clément Cavallo by throwing himself at all the balls, true to himself, Samuta Avea by not hesitating to attack the circle and Robineau by ensuring the scoring from near and far. But not from the throwing line, like many players this Friday. So it took a stolen ball, a counter-attack and a winner from Marcos Suka-Umu for the BBD to gain its biggest lead of the evening (60-64, 30th).
At that point in the match. Because it was the start of the demonstration. Ten months after being slapped in the face in Poitiers, the BBD gave back, becoming impassable for eight minutes, the time to gain a 16-point lead (66-82, 28th). The back line had shown the muscles. The BBD too.
