By relying therefore on his interior game where Keith Wright made the law in the first period (18 points at 8/11 on shots, 3 rebounds at the break) and on the activity of his 3 positions (Gassama and Seguela), La Rochelle quickly extinguished the 3,700 people present.
“We moved the ball well around the game in pick and roll because we knew that Mulhouse was defending high. We had an impact near the circle with our positions 3 and 5. Our attacking game was generally clean, ”analyzed coach Francois Sence when getting off the plane. With 50% success on shots (against 43% for the MBA), Arnauld Thinon’s partners have always been in control during this first leg. Even when Mulhouse came back in front 3 minutes from the buzzer (76-74), the caravel club didn’t really bat an eyelid.
Money time millimeter
The money-time ended with an 8-2 for La Rochelle. With in the role of the gravedigger of Mulhousiens: Gaëtan Clerc who aligned 7 units on this decisive sequence. Only point of vigilance at the end of this part, “we will have to increase our defensive capacity on the rebounds and more disturb them on their fast game”, noted Sence
The performance of the Banc Rochelais was once again convincing. If the Stadistes had at the base one rotation more than their opponent (4 against 3), the avalanche of faults on Meite (five in five minutes of play) will have finally offered the two coaches the same numerical options. But in this sector, the difference in contribution will have been very much in favor of Stade Rochelais (23 points scored against 10).
When Lauriane Dolt, the MBA coach, managed to limit Wright’s influence (4 points scored in the second half), her counterpart’s ability to adapt allowed Les Rochelais to make other choices. “We managed to put the ball on the opposite side to rely on the drive of our 4 positions. Desmond (Quincy-Jones) and Thibault (Lonzieme) put important shots on these forms of play”, explained Sence. The port staff therefore won the tactical battle.
