When Phillip Greene (20 points) turned around and scored a difficult 3-point shot, Wloclawek, less than two minutes from the buzzer, flew away (79-71). Cholet, at the heart of an anemic second half in attack (24 points scored in total), slipped slowly but surely, endangering its chances of winning the first European trophy in its history.
In this final format on round-trip matches with point average, a big gap would have singularly complicated the task of the Mauges club, which will host the return on Wednesday April 26. Dominic Artis then came out of his box. While the American rear was 2/8 from 3 points at this moment (19 points, 4/10 from afar in the end, 1 interception and 1 against capital in the last seconds), he struck twice behind the line at 3 points.
In the end, in view of the danger that awaited, the four points of disbursement (81-77) would almost look like a good result. In any case, CB will have its destiny in hand, in a Meilleraie which will turn into a volcano.
Sako, an unexpected cost from the bench
On Wednesday, the locals had started with their feet to the floor, putting Cholet on the ropes (11-2, 3rd), relying on their strong point, the 3-point shot – they are the team shooting the most 3-pointers, 28 per match, and one of only two teams to exceed 40% success in the exercise. Laurent Vila’s men have turned their backs and have gradually set their sights too, behind the big part of their captain Boris Dallo (17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists), the unexpected cost of Neal Sako came from the bench (14 points, 7 rebounds), and the crucial contribution of TJ Campbell, the Cholet general just returned from a broken foot a few days ago.
The leader played the maestros (10 points, 9 assists) and allowed his people to count up to eight lengths ahead (47-39, 17th). We lived a euphoric first half on both sides (14/26 cumulated to 3 points for the two opponents!), where the shooters still often found themselves alone to draw. The debates thereafter remained balanced, the two teams raising the defensive level and having more and more difficulty in the game, until 8-2 of the Poles (from 71-69 to 79-71), fed by Victor Sanders (16 points), Malik Williams (12 points, 9 rebounds) or even Josip Sobin (9 points, 3 assists), who could have put Cholet in the hard. But the club, weaned from the trophy since 2010, gave itself a good chance to end the crossing of the desert in a week.
2023-04-19 19:04:42
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