Announced in the Top 15 of the 2024 Draft by ESPN, Tidjane Salaün, trained in Cholet, played this evening against Tenerife in the European Cup. A meeting full of stakes that the Choletais will lose at the wire… but which was not to be thrown away for Tidjane, who collects 18 points and puts in a good performance.
La Meilleraie. This room which some observers think the club would benefit from leaving for a hypothetical newer setting. A large hangar to describe it pejoratively, in which lives something that many clubs – sometimes internationally renowned – would like to have: a soul, a beautiful soul. When we enter the arena, we are taken by the place. Hoping to be taken in by the match too, which pits Cholet Basket and Lenovo Tenerife. The stakes are simple: first place in the group, synonymous with direct qualification for the Top 16 of the competition. If undone there is? Head to the Play-in. Depending on the result of the other group match, Cholet might not even host the series. You understand the issue.
Of course, beyond the meeting, a certain player interests us: Tidjane Salaün. French nugget that we have already talked about – currently announced at the gates of the Top 15 of the 2024 Draft at ESPN but which we finally see evolving for real on the floor. The 2.03m boy starts his match calmly, making a few small errors, quickly erased by an impressive physical intensity. The reward is also offensive: 3-points in transition, string. This will be the only real coup at the start of the match for Choletais, who then take a clean 0-10. The skill is not there, the Spaniards play on the mind by going three times to find shots after 24 seconds. Already -10 after ten minutes.
We won’t see Tidjane again until halfway through the 2nd quarter. When he returns, his team is still at a distance, but he stands out with some good decision-making in defense. Once again rewarded with a winning parking lot shot in the corner, hand in the face to boot. He continues with a second validated arrow, it is he who brings Cholet back into the match! His partners are boosted by the shots, La Meilleraie exults and Laurent Vila’s players take back command of operations just before the break, 42-40!
3/4 for Tidjane Salaun at 3-pts including 2 consecutive shots from the parking lot.
It’s him who brings Cholet back into the match!
He’s HOT ????????????
— Nicolas TrashTalk (@niclsvrg) December 19, 2023
The third quarter is very competitive. Tidjane is back on the floor, he is once again the catalyst for Choletais, especially defensively. If he had so far distinguished himself from afar, he also knows how to hit and cuts through the Tenerife defense with ease, too bad it doesn’t end up deep. The duel between the two teams is very intense, tied after 30 minutes of play (59-59). Who will take the game into their own hands and bend the debate?
All in power ???? @TrashTalk_fr pic.twitter.com/X52IoCkDCO
— Nicolas TrashTalk (@niclsvrg) December 19, 2023
Tenerife starts the last act better, with a big increase in physical intensity. The consequence ? More fouls for Cholet, like Nathan De Sousa, who commits two irregular defenses in less than 30 seconds. More seriously, Emmanuel Nzekwesi, top scorer of the match for the locals, is also on the verge of expulsion. The Spaniards are only +4, but have the momentum. Salaün returns to the floor, is it up to him to overthrow La Meilleraie? Alas no, even if he will achieve a 2/2 on the throws to bring his team to -2. The visitors will plant 4 3-point shots in a row to kill the match coldly. The last possessions will be played, but the minds are aware of the outcome of the match.
Tidjane plants a little floater and a final 3-pointer to wrap up his evening, with 18 points, 3 rebounds at 5/6 shooting including 4/5 at 3-points, and 4/4 on free throws. Never offside, the skill at the end of the match on the Tenerife side got the better of Cholet, 85-91. Great evening for Tidjane, and CB finished 2nd in the group.
2023-12-19 19:12:00
#points.. #defeat #Tenerife
