After two canceled editions, the Leaders Cup is back. From this Friday, February 17, the JDA will defend its title won in 2020. The opportunity to look back on the two previous victories of the Dijon basketball players in the competition.
The Leaders Cup is back! After two canceled editions, the competition bringing together the eight best teams in the first leg of the French basketball championship takes place this weekend. Winner in 2020, the JDA will defend its title on the parquet floor of Saint-Chamond (Loire). The tournament starts this Friday at 1 p.m. against Limoges. After 2004 and 2020, Dijon hopes to put its name on the list for the third time.
In 2004, the JDA competed for the first time in its history in the competition, named at the time “La Semaine des As”. Eighth in the first leg of the championship, Dijon qualified in extremis at the expense of Cholet. The Dijonnais therefore look like “little thumb”.
Over the laps, the JDA creates a surprise against the leaders of Pro A. With courage and mentality, the Dijonnais climb to the final by beating Villeurbanne (75-73) then Nancy (79-77). Against Lorraine, they made a tremendous comeback as they trailed by 11 points.
In the final, another ogre stands in their way: Le Mans. Leader of the championship, the Manceaux are keen to win to establish their domination. As in previous rounds, the match is contested. Three minutes from the end, the gap seems final: Le Mans leads by 7 points (60-53). This is without counting on the furia of the JDA. Intercepting several balls, capturing rebounds, she inflicts a 9-0 on her opponent and wins 62 to 60. This victory will mark a historic season for the club which will also reach the final of the EuroCup Challenge.
In 2020, the Leaders Cup has taken up residence at Disneyland Paris. In the realm of entertainment, the JDA did not come to make up the numbers. Third in the championship, the Dijonnais started the weekend with a logical victory against Bourg-en-Bresse (104-79). A start before facing Monaco.
The leader of the championship is the bane of the Dijonnais: they have not beaten the Monegasques for more than four years. The Rocher basketball players notably eliminated the Côte-d’Oriens during the 2019 play-offs. On the floor of the amusement park, the semi-final between the two teams goes down in history. After a neck-to-neck encounter, Monaco equalized one second from the final whistle. The extension seems to be looming, before the incredible happens. On a throw-in, Richard Solomon is found in the air. A buzzer dunk from the American who sends Dijon to the final.
In the final, the JDA faces another giant: ASVEL and its budget three times higher. However, she prints her rhythm in this match. With a solid defense and three-point shots, the Dijonnais stand up to the Villeurbannais. Two long-range shots from David Holston in the last minutes sound the death knell for Rhone hopes. Dijon won 77-69 and won its first title since the 2006 Coupe de France.
Friday February 17
- JDA Dijon – Limoges CSP : 13h00
- AS Monaco Basket – JL Bourg-en-Bresse: 3:30 p.m.
- Cholet Basket – Le Mans Sarthe Basket: 6:30 p.m.
- Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 – LDLC ASVEL: 9 p.m.
Saturday February 18
- Semi-final n°1: 6:30 p.m.
- Semi-final n°2: 9 p.m.
Sunday February 19
