Boulazac qualifies suffering against Lorient

So, of course, that’s just the cut; there are still Leaders Cup matches to get used to. So much the better, Alexandre Ménard and his staff have a job. Lorient came to Dordogne with just six pro players. Boulazac therefore had a double advantage: level and quantity. He never knew how to use it.

The game begins with running back/point guard Martin Junakovic. Then British pivot Kavell Bigby-Williams sends a pass into the stands. Nic Moore still manages to place the BBD in front (6-5, 3rd).

Following, Junakovic walks again. The Périgourdins only owe their lead to a calamitous address from the Bretons (4/17 at the end of the first quarter). The BBD is whistled 24 seconds and is stolen too many rebounds under his basket. The whole lack of offensive creation. Fortunately, the defense holds up, Boulazac widens a lead (16-9, 10th).

The attack at half mast

When Bathiste Tchouaffé scored his team’s first award-winning basket, we thought that Boulazac was going to get rusty and unroll (25-11). Then the breath falls gently. Paul Billong is struggling offensively, Olivier Cortale faces a big physical challenge with Sy. Clément Cavallo misses his pass, Lorient comes back a little (25-14, 16th).

And everything seizes up. Without imagination, Boulazac did not score for six minutes. Including an air ball from Moore. A statistic to illustrate? 1/13 at three points after twenty minutes of play. Lorient took advantage of the Périgord apathy to grab. Saounera, the former BBD house, brings his team to 28-23. Then Junakovic loses the ball a few seconds before half-time, whistled on the unflattering score of 28-25. With 14 balls lost for the Boulazacois.

Cortale, from the resumption, gives a little air to three points. Cortale, the fulcrum. Moore, he wants to restart everything on his own, misses (0/5 at three points in the 25th), gets angry, chambers the Breton bench too hard. But Bigby-Williams tap-dunke the missed shot from his leader and Boulazac once again came close to a 10-point lead (38-29, 25th).

Two minutes later, the Briton scored a 2+1 which maintained the gap. However, he is too alone, and ten minutes from time, Lorient casts a shadow of doubt (49-44). With 19 stray balls and 11 offensive rebounds left to the Bretons, it is quite legitimate.