Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings

Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most exciting game of round 23 in the ProB took place in Vichy. This derby game ended with only one-point home defeat of second-ranked JA Vichy (17-6) to seventeenth ranked Provence Basket (8-15) 86-85 on Friday evening. It was quite big embarassment for the home team. American point guard Robert Turner III (190-1993, college: Texas Tech) saved the victory by scoring 25 points and 5 rebounds. Swedish center Mattias Markusson (218-1996, college: LMU) contributed with 14 points and 10 rebounds (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field) for the winners. Forward Noah Penda (200-2005) answered with 14 points and 4 assists for Vichy Clermont. JA Vichy’s coach tried various players’ combinations and tested in total eleven players in this game, but that didn’t help. Fos-sur-Mer moved-up to fifteenth place, which they share with Evreux and Aix-Maurienne. Vichy Clermont at the other side keeps the second position with six games lost. Fos-sur-Mer is looking forward to face higher ranked Orleans (#5) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Vichy Clermont will play against Boulazac and will have a slim chance for a victory.
Important game to mention about took place in Rouen. Fourth ranked SPO Rouen (15-9) saved a 2-point victory at home edging 7th ranked Poitiers (12-12) 97-95 on Tuesday evening. It was a great evening for guard Clarence Nadolny (191-2000, college: Texas Tech) who led his team to a victory scoring 23 points. Eddy Kayouloud helped adding 17 points and 11 rebounds. Slovenian point guard Luka Rupnik (186-1993, agency: Octagon Europe) responded with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. SPO Rouen have a solid series of four victories in a row. Newly promoted Rouen maintains fourth place with 15-9 record. Poitiers at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the seventh position with 12 games lost. They share it with Nantes. Rouen will play against ASA (#9) in Gries in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Poitiers will play at home against St.Chamond and hopes to get back on the winning track.
ProB top team – La Rochelle (20-3) had no problems winning another game on Friday. This time they crushed eighteenth ranked Etoile Angers (6-17) 79-56. It was a quality performance for Johan Lofberg who led the winners and scored 20 points. Darel Poirier came up with a double-double by scoring 11 points and 10 rebounds for Angers in the defeat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Stade Rochelais maintains first place with 20-3 record. Loser Etoile Angers stay at the bottom position with 17 games lost. Stade Rochelais will meet at home Chalons-Reims (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Angers will play against Evreux (#17) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.

There were no big surprises in other games of round 23: Aix-Maurienne was beaten by Antibes on the road 83-82. Chalons-Reims won against EB Orthez on its own court 75-68. Orleans managed to outperform Denain-Voltaire in a road game 76-71. Evreux recorded a loss to Boulazac at home 75-80. Poitiers was defeated by ASA on the opponent’s court 86-78. Nantes beat Lille in a home game 85-77. Rouen lost to St.Chamond on the road 79-93.

Angers – Stade Rochelais 56-79

ProB top team – La Rochelle (20-3) had no problems winning another game on Friday. This time they crushed eighteenth ranked Etoile Angers (6-17) 79-56. Stade Rochelais dominated down low during the game scoring 44 of its points in the paint compared to Etoile Angers‘ 20 and made 17-of-18 free shots (94.4 percent) during the game. Stade Rochelais forced 20 Angers turnovers. It was a quality performance for Swedish Johan Lofberg (199-1995) who led the winners and scored 20 points. Point guard Matheo Leray (188-2003) accounted for 18 points for the winning side. Center Darel Poirier (207-1997) came up with a double-double by scoring 11 points and 10 rebounds and American point guard Brandon Averette (179-1997, college: BYU) added 11 points and 5 steals respectively for Angers in the defeat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Stade Rochelais maintains first place with 20-3 record. Loser Etoile Angers stay at the bottom position with 17 games lost. Stade Rochelais will meet at home Chalons-Reims (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Angers will play against Evreux (#17) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Stade Rochelais: J.Lofberg 20+2reb+1ast, L.Matheo 18+4reb+1ast, T.Buchanan 12+4reb+5ast, G.Clerc 8+4reb+2ast, J.Belo 7+10reb, I.Haidara 6+4reb+1ast
Angers: D.Poirier 11+10reb, S.Gauthier 11+3reb, B.Averette 11+1reb+2ast, M.Hugo 7+5reb+1ast, T.Ghezala 6+2reb+6ast, M.Nguirane 4+4reb+2ast

gschID: 1091620

Antibes – Aix-Maurienne 83-82

The game between closely ranked teams ended with fourteenth ranked Olympique Antibes‘ (10-13) home victory over 15th ranked Aix-Maurienne (8-15) 83-82 on Friday. Antibes made 21-of-26 free shots (80.8 percent) during the game, while Aix-Maurienne only scored five points from the stripe. It was an exceptional evening for naturalized Cameroonian guard Samir Gbetkom Bikantchou (192-1998) who led the winners and scored 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Center Mathieu Boyer (207-1995) accounted for 7 points and 16 rebounds for the winning side. Guard Christopher Dauby (193-1999) came up with 19 points and 6 rebounds and Kittitian-American swingman Shaun Willett (193-1996, college: Queens, NC) added 17 points and 5 rebounds respectively for Aix-Maurienne in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Antibes moved-up to tenth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Loser Aix-Maurienne keeps the fifteenth position with 15 games lost. They share it with Evreux and Fos-sur-Mer. Antibes will meet Lille (#12) on the road in the next round. Aix-Maurienne will play against Nantes and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Antibes: G.Green 20+4reb+1ast, S.Gbetkom Bikantchou 20+5reb+5ast, S.Gavrilovic 13+4reb+1ast, B.Monclar 12+1reb+3ast, M.Boyer 7+16reb+2ast, T.Choh 5+3reb+1ast
Aix-Maurienne: D.Christopher 19+6reb+1ast, S.Willett 17+5reb+2ast, K.Ammour 14+7reb+2ast, K.Samuel 12+5reb, G.Noel 7+3reb, K.Jackson 7+2reb+5ast

gschID: 1091621

Chalons-Reims – EB Orthez 75-68

There was an upset when higher ranked Pau-Lacq-Orthez (12-11) lost on the road to twelfth ranked Chalons-Reims (10-13) 75-68 on Friday. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Chalons-Reims made 9 blocks. It was an exceptional evening for forward Florian Leopold (204-2000) who led the winners with a double-double by scoring 21 points and 11 rebounds. Point guard Mathis Keita (192-1992, college: IUP) accounted for 10 points and 6 assists for the winning side. Forward Dylan Affo Mama (196-1999) came up with 25 points and swingman Arthur Bruyas (198-2000, agency: BIG) added 14 points and 6 rebounds respectively for EB Orthez in the defeat. Pau-Lacq-Orthez’s coach let to play ten players, but that didn’t help to avoid defeat in this game. Chalons-Reims moved-up to tenth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Loser Pau-Lacq-Orthez keeps the sixth position with 11 games lost. Chalons-Reims will meet league’s leader Stade Rochelais in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. EB Orthez will play against Denain-Voltaire (#14) and hope to secure a win and be promoted back to the Betclic ELITE ProA just one year after relegation.
Top scorers:
Chalons-Reims: F.Leopold 21+11reb+2ast, M.Keita 10+4reb+6ast, M.Jackson 10+3reb+2ast, D.Skara 8+6reb+1ast, D.Ugo 7+7reb+5ast, R.Demahis-Ballou 7+1ast
EB Orthez: D.Affo Mama 25+4reb+2ast, B.Arthur 14+6reb+3ast, M.Oguine 12+2reb+1ast, G.Kensmil 9+8reb+2ast, J.Masters 8+5reb+5ast, B.Idrissa 0+6reb

gschID: 1091622

Denain-Voltaire – Orleans 71-76

Very predictable result when fifth ranked Entente Orleans 45 (13-9) won against on the road 13th ranked Denain Voltaire (9-14) 76-71 on Friday. Orleans made 18-of-21 free shots (85.7 percent) during the game. They also forced 19 Denain-Voltaire turnovers. Strangely Denain-Voltaire outrebounded Orleans 45-31 including 30 on the defensive glass. It was an exceptional evening for Ludovic Negrobar (207-1991) who led the winners and scored 14 points. Point guard Ludovic Beyhurst (172-1999) accounted for 8 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the winning side. Four Entente Orleans 45 players scored in double figures. American point guard Courtney Fortson (180-1988, college: Arkansas) came up with a double-double by scoring 13 points and 11 assists and the other American import power forward Zena Edosomwan (206-1993, college: Harvard) added 11 points and 7 rebounds respectively for Denain-Voltaire in the defeat. Denain Voltaire’s coach let to play ten players, but that didn’t help to avoid defeat in this game. Orleans maintains fifth place with 13-9 record. Denain-Voltaire lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the fourteenth position with 14 games lost. Orleans will meet at home Fos-sur-Mer (#15) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Denain-Voltaire will play against EB Orthez in Pau and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Orleans: L.Negrobar 14+4reb+3ast, L.Thirouard-Samson 13+3reb+1ast, R.Morency 11+6reb, D.Johnson-Odom 11+2reb+2ast, S.Smith 9+1reb+4ast, L.Beyhurst 8+5reb+5ast
Denain-Voltaire: C.Fortson 13+2reb+11ast, Z.Edosomwan 11+7reb+2ast, D.Neftali 10+5reb+3ast, M.Kevin 9+6reb+1ast, B.Gillet 9+1reb, L.Phillip 9+7reb

gschID: 1091623

Evreux – Boulazac 75-80

Not a big story in a game when 16th ranked ALM Evreux (8-15) lost at home to third ranked Boulazac Basket (17-7) 80-75 on Friday. Boulazac looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. It was an exceptional evening for American point guard Angelo Warner (188-1992, college: Morehead St.) who led the winners and scored 24 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists (was perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line !!!). Power forward Jean-Marc Pansa (209-1997) accounted for 14 points and 7 rebounds for the winning side. Four Boulazac Basket players scored in double figures. American power forward Joe Burton (202-1990, college: Oregon St.) came up with 9 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and guard Romain Parmentelot (190-2004) added 10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals respectively for Evreux in the defeat. Both coaches tested many bench players in such tough game. Boulazac maintains third place with 17-7 record having just two points less than leader Stade Rochelais. Loser ALM Evreux dropped to the fifteenth position with 15 games lost. They share it with Aix-Maurienne and Fos-sur-Mer. Boulazac will meet at home league’s second-placed Vichy Clermont in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Evreux will play against Angers (#18) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Boulazac: A.Warner 24+6reb+7ast, J.Pansa 14+7reb+1ast, C.Cavallo 12+7reb+2ast, D.Adel 11+4reb+4ast, B.Paul 6+3reb+1ast, H.Robineau 4+1reb+5ast
Evreux: A.Vrabac 13+1reb+1ast, P.Rigot 11+1reb+1ast, Y.Joseph 11+1reb, P.Romain 10+5reb+4ast, J.Burton 9+7reb+5ast, M.Killian 9+5reb+1ast

gschID: 1091624

ASA – Poitiers 86-78

There was a small surprise when ninth ranked ASA (11-11) defeated 7th ranked Poitiers (12-12) in Gries 86-78 on Friday. ASA outrebounded Poitiers 41-30 including 29 on the defensive glass. ASA looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. It was an exceptional evening for forward Carl Ponsar (203-1997) who led the winners and scored 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Center Yvann MBaya (209-2001) accounted for 14 points and 12 rebounds for the winning side. Jamaican Kentan Facey (206-1993, college: UConn) came up with 18 points and 6 rebounds and Slovenian point guard Luka Rupnik (186-1993, agency: Octagon Europe) added 9 points and 5 assists respectively for Poitiers in the defeat. Both coaches tested many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. ASA have a solid series of four victories in a row. They maintain ninth place with 11-11 record. Newly promoted Poitiers keeps the seventh position with 12 games lost. They share it with Nantes. ASA will meet higher ranked Rouen (#4) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Poitiers will play against St.Chamond and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
ASA: C.Ponsar 22+5reb+5ast, Y.MBaya 14+12reb, F.Adamovic 14+2reb+6ast, C.Mounce 9+5reb+1ast, Y.Choupas 9+3reb+4ast, L.Ca 8+4reb+2ast
Poitiers: K.Facey 18+6reb, P.Imanol 12+2reb+1ast, L.Rupnik 9+2reb+5ast, D.Mohamed 9+1reb+2ast, K.Harley 8+3reb+4ast, I.Ramljak 7+5reb+4ast

gschID: 1091625

Nantes – Lille 85-77

There was no surprise when 10th ranked Lille Metropole (10-13) lost on the road to eighth ranked Nantes (12-12) 85-77 on Friday. It was a great shooting night for Nantes especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 55.0 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists. It was an exceptional evening for Bulgarian forward Bryce Nze (202-1998, college: Butler, agency: Worldwide SM) who led the winners and scored 9 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. American-Hungarian point guard Darrin Govens (185-1988, college: St.Joseph’s) accounted for 16 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side. Spanish guard Marcos Suka-Umu (193-1985) came up with 16 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and American-Cape Verdean forward Marcus Santos-Silva (202-1997, college: Texas Tech) added 14 points and 5 rebounds respectively for Lille in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Nantes moved-up to seventh place, which they share with Poitiers. Loser Lille Metropole keeps the tenth position with 13 games lost. They share it with 3 other teams. Nantes will meet Aix-Maurienne (#16) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Lille will play against Antibes (#13) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Nantes: D.Govens 16+5reb+3ast, A.Ndoye 16+4reb+2ast, M.Legat 15+3reb, D.Thomas 11+1reb+4ast, B.Nze 9+11reb+6ast, C.Lutete 7+3reb+1ast
Lille: M.Suka-Umu 16+7reb+5ast, L.Bourhis 14+1reb+1ast, M.Santos-Silva 14+5reb, D.Halvin 10+5reb, G.Meyniel 9+2reb+4ast, M.Vujic 8+1reb+1ast

gschID: 1091626

St.Chamond – Rouen 93-79

There was a surprise result when eleventh ranked Saint Chamond (10-13) beat at home 4th placed SPO Rouen (15-9) 93-79 on Friday. St.Chamond made 20-of-20 free shots (100 percent !!!) during the game. It was an exceptional evening for center Badr Moujib (207-2001) who led the winners and scored 15 points and 5 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). Croatian center Antonio Vrankovic (213-1996, college: Duke) accounted for 9 points and 9 rebounds for the winning side. Swingman Eddy Kayouloud (200-1999, college: Cent Arkansas) came up with 16 points and 5 rebounds and naturalized Moroccan forward Karim Gourari (202-1989) added 9 points and 6 rebounds respectively for Rouen in the defeat. Both coaches tested many bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. St.Chamond moved-up to tenth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Newly promoted Rouen keeps the fourth position with nine games lost. St.Chamond will meet higher ranked Poitiers (#8) on the road in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Rouen will play against ASA (#9) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
St.Chamond: M.Addison 16+1reb, M.Badr 15+5reb+1ast, I.Seppala 13+1reb+4ast, M.Guichard 10+1reb+4ast, A.Vrankovic 9+9reb+2ast, M.Theo 9+3reb+3ast
Rouen: E.Kayouloud 16+5reb, K.Gourari 9+6reb+3ast, M.Yasmin 9+4reb+2ast, C.Matheo 9+2reb, C.Nadolny 8+5reb, A.Tidjan 7+3reb

gschID: 1091627

Vichy Clermont – Fos-sur-Mer 85-86

gschID: 1091628

Rouen – Poitiers 97-95

Important game to mention about took place in Rouen. Fourth ranked SPO Rouen (15-9) saved a 2-point victory at home edging 7th ranked Poitiers (12-12) 97-95 on Tuesday evening. Rouen made 29-of-35 charity shots (82.9 percent) during the game. Poitiers was plagued by 28 personal fouls down the stretch. It was a great evening for guard Clarence Nadolny (191-2000, college: Texas Tech) who led his team to a victory scoring 23 points. Swingman Eddy Kayouloud (200-1999, college: Cent Arkansas) helped adding 17 points and 11 rebounds. Slovenian point guard Luka Rupnik (186-1993, agency: Octagon Europe) responded with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists and Bosnian-Croatian Ivan Ramljak (203-1990, agency: PEPI SPORT) scored 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Five Poitiers players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. SPO Rouen have a solid series of four victories in a row. Newly promoted Rouen maintains fourth place with 15-9 record. Poitiers at the other side, also newcomer in the league, keeps the seventh position with 12 games lost. They share it with Nantes. Rouen will play against ASA (#9) in Gries in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Poitiers will play at home against St.Chamond and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Rouen: C.Nadolny 23+4reb+3ast, E.Kayouloud 17+11reb, A.Williams 14+2reb+11ast, K.Gourari 9+2reb+2ast, M.Yasmin 8+4reb, G.David 7+7reb+1ast
Poitiers: D.Mohamed 19+4reb+1ast, I.Ramljak 15+6reb+4ast, C.Pontens 14+2reb+1ast, L.Rupnik 12+5reb+9ast, K.Harley 12+3reb+3ast, K.Facey 12+4reb+2ast