The Metropolitans 92 were not brilliant, but they ensured the essential by beating Cholet in the opening game of the play-offs (93-80). Dominating in the first quarter, like the raging dunk Victor Wembanyama after only one minute, the Mets had started the game perfectly. Their superiority continued until rest, despite an award-winning basket less than a second from the buzzer for Cholet.
These three points did the greatest good to the Choletais who started their second half much better. More pressing in defense and more collective offensively, the players of Laurent Vila, named coach of the year this week, came back to contact and even took a point lead in the middle of the 3rd quarter. But this return was short-lived as the Mets' individual qualities are superior. Barry Brown Jr first, then in front of Jones, gave the Ile-de-France a ten-point lead at the start of the last quarter.
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Despite the heart of the Choletais, who fought until the last second to hang this first game of the series, Vincent Collet's players confirmed their victory thanks to a huge shot from Victor Wembanyama a few minutes from the end. The Frenchman, who is having a special week after the NBA draft lottery that (almost) awarded him the San Antonio Spurs as a future team, made some unusual ball losses but still delivered an interesting performance with 22 points and 10 rebounds and 6 assists to lead his Mets to victory.
This victory allows the Metropolitans 92 to approach the return match, scheduled for Tuesday in Cholet, serenely since, even in case of defeat, a decisive match will have to be played at the Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan.
