Things are off to a bad start for Boulogne-Levallois.
Despite a room full to bursting and ready to pounce for its favorites, the Mets started their quarter-final against Pau-Lacq-Orthez badly with a defeat (77-94).
If they want to have the opportunity to play a great next Monday and thus continue the adventure, victory is imperative this Saturday evening in Bearn land.
What you must remember
The presentation of the best player (Will Cummings) and coach (Vincent Collet) trophies before the meeting could have sounded like a warning.
Just because the Metropolitans shone during the regular season doesn't mean it's a foregone conclusion.
Between the 3rd and the 6th, there is, in fact, not a world of difference, even if the Parisians take the best start (13-6) thanks to the address of Keith Hornsby.
But in Béarn, we are rather stubborn and proud.
Very quickly, Pau returned to the game (17-17).
Opposite, the aptly named Justin Bibbins is determined to shower the ambitions of the Mets.
Elan is again left behind, but Boulogne does not take advantage of it.
Vincent Collet's men have no other solution than to play even faster to overwhelm the Pau defense well grouped around Vitalis Chikoko.
In the racket, Halilovic allows his people to keep the wagon hooked, but we feel that his team is not completely in the game, like Cummings, who confuses speed with haste.
At the start of the last quarter, twelve points are still up (58-70).
Unable to grab a single rebound, the Mets are overwhelmed.
Player: Keith Hornsby
Arrived this season in Boulogne-Levallois, the American rear has long kept the flame of his team alive, mainly thanks to his agility beyond the area (4 out of 7).
His 18 points were unfortunately not enough while his teammates almost all disappeared after the break, except perhaps Vincent Hunter.
The number: 6
That is the number of consecutive victories chained against this same opponent before the setback of this Wednesday evening.
You have to go back to October 2018 to see Elan dominate the Ile-de-France club.
At the time, Pau had not made any detail (84-69), like this Wednesday evening at the Palais des Sports.
