Another victory for Limoges CSP in the Championship, 81-77 against Dijon, in favor of the 10th day. If Limoges was almost always ahead, Massimo Cancellieri’s men were able to handle the return of the Burgundians in the money-time and win, after a high-intensity match.
Basque Pelota World Championships 2022
It was only the tenth day of the Championship, but Beaublancfull to the mouth, sometimes believed to be experiencing a final round bout.
Not that the two teams offered a basketball dream, no.
But a relentless fight, a fierce fight, a physical and bitter duel and a suspenseful and breathless end game, oh yeah!
On paper, Dijonsolid third, who had just beaten Monaco and ASVELwhile averaging 92.4 points per game, he was shaping up to be a solid scorer, if not a favorite, against a CSP extension still second best defense in the league (78.8pt/m).
Yet Limoges had the opportunity to hang a third scalp, in seven days, on his belt.
And the start of the match confirmed the desire of Cancellieri’s men.
Quickly shocked though by the organization and potency of the visitors.
But while one might fear embarking on a long ordeal, Nicholas Lang (he already, we will return to this) stopped the bleeding, in the long run, and resumed his (9-10, after 4’30”).
Better still, he put Limoges on the rails of an 11-0, which gave the locals up to 8 lengths ahead.
The start of a quiet evening?
What a Girl!
The end of the first quarter in fact saw the guests blow on the neck of the CSP, who was leading by only one point, 21-20.
In any case, Limoges put their basketball back to work and, with a burning Ugolin in particular, and in the long run, excuse me, it started again.
And this is where the game got intrigued.
When they began to defend themselves like dogs, the Limougeauds still saw the return of the Dijonians.
And while they made fewer mistakes and completely dominated the game, they couldn’t get back together!
Result, the break was reached on an encouraging 41-34 for Limoges.
Nicolas Lang had been a perfect captain (13 points), and what the loose balls cost, weak offensive rebounding and relative success on free throws, defensive rebounding and assists more than made up for!
In short, yes, Beaublanc believed it, and the Dolce Vita was announced.
As always (no, we are harsh, as often) with Limoges, the reality was quite different.
And upon returning from the changing rooms, without ever being able to escape, the CSP saw their opponents slowly but surely return.
Sometimes we were two points apart…
But again, and with three more points from Lang, Limoges made a small nest egg, 61-54, before the final ten minutes.
Beaublanc, which up until then had been a merry and noisy cauldron, then went into freediving mode!
Imperceptibly, Dijon responded tac-au-tac to the slightest Limogesian action.
And if there were mistakes, and rejections, on both sides, it was the guests who, in frozen silence, suddenly took the lead, 68-69 then 68-71, with just over three minutes to go!
As often (no, we’re tough, like sometimes), Limoges failed to “win”.
Four successive possessions had just finished goalless when, in the same half, Dijon scored!
But where, no doubt, at the start of the season, the CSP would have abdicated, or gone bankrupt, Limoges, this Sunday evening, decided instead to rebel.
Better yet, crouch first and then transform into a cold-blooded animal.
Time-money promised to be suffocating, it was a management model, provided by Limoges.
Nicolas Lang, who hadn’t hit a single shot for ten minutes, suddenly made three-pointers from another point, with two minutes remaining. (75-73).
Everyone who passed from the free throw line did not flinch.
And less than ten seconds from the siren, and with a two-point lead, Limoges annihilated Dijon’s attempt, and guaranteed, a priori, the advantage of possession…
How long these last ten seconds have been!
But how good they were, so much joy, jubilation, the communion that broke out at their end, enthused Beaublanc!
In the press conference, Nenad Markovic, coach of Dijon, was not far from cold anger, so much so, if he didn’t contest the victory of Limoges, he wouldn’t take off from his team’s mistakes.
Nicolas Lang, barely out of breath from the fight, which he recognized as intense, however refused to light up: “We’re just on 6-4! We have good results, but there is our start to the season…“.
Having said that, he agreed that Limoges were likely to lose this game at the start of the season and that yes, Limougeaud’s reaction and composure tonight was both a source of pride and a source, if not of hope, at least of work.
As for Massimo Cancellieri, while declaring himself exhausted, and wanting to talk more about something other than just basketball, in particular about his amazement and his respect for the love for this sport, for this club and for its players, which Limoges and its fans demonstrate, he agreed that the victory was good and that its content, also related to the specific constraints of the opponent, was good!
Thus, after ten days, Limoges is in 7th place in the Championship, aiming to receive ASVEL on December 3rd at the Beaublanc.
Could be better…
It could frankly be worse, especially after the very first games of the season.
The CSP, this Sunday evening, was not flashy.
The CSP this Sunday evening was not brilliant.
But as rarely this season, the CSP was solid, united, combative, aggressive and above all victorious.
What’s the formula again? What else ?
