Pau-Lacq-Orthez secured a road win against Gries-Souffel on Wednesday, March 6, 2026, in a game that saw a significant second-half turnaround. The Elan Béarnais, currently vying for a top-four spot in France’s Elite 2 basketball league, defeated their opponents 95-78 after a closely contested first half. The victory moves them into a tie with Denain at fifth place in the standings.
The game began with an assertive start from Elan Béarnais, spearheaded by the dynamic duo of Thomas Cornely and Seydou Ndiaye. According to reports from La République des Pyrénées, the pair effectively “navigated” the offense, with Bryce Nze taking command as the primary scoring threat. Cornely opened the scoring for the visitors, quickly followed by Nze establishing his presence both inside and outside the arc. By the early minutes of the first quarter, Pau had built a 5-11 lead, extending it to 5-14 with a three-point play from Cornely. Nze continued his strong start, reaching nine points by the seven-minute mark, contributing to a 7-16 advantage for the Elan Béarnais.
However, the momentum shifted as the first quarter progressed. The Alliance Sport Alsace responded with a series of counterattacks, led by Myles, who began to find his rhythm. Despite a slow start from beyond the arc (0/5), Gries-Souffel managed to regain composure. A contact foul on Pau’s Josh Mballa disrupted the flow, and Milanese stepped in to stabilize the situation, bringing the score to 18-23 at the complete of the first quarter.
A Second Quarter to Forget for Pau
The second quarter proved to be a challenging period for the Elan Béarnais. Gries-Souffel capitalized on Pau’s struggles, embarking on a 13-0 run that dramatically altered the complexion of the game. Phillips contributed a spectacular alley-oop, but it was quickly overshadowed by the mounting deficit. A peculiar moment occurred during this stretch, with a marriage proposal taking place on the court, seemingly distracting the Elan Béarnais. The home team continued to build their lead, fueled by strong offensive contributions from Noel, extending their advantage to 49-37 by halftime.
Despite the significant deficit, Elan Béarnais showed resilience in the third quarter. Bastien Pinault ignited the offense with a pair of three-pointers, narrowing the gap to 49-43. Cornely connected with Nze for an alley-oop, further closing the distance to 54-49. The backcourt duo of Cornely and Milanese orchestrated the offense, while Mballa continued to battle inside, contributing 11 points and 8 rebounds in the quarter. However, Mballa’s performance was hampered by inconsistent free-throw shooting (5/10).
The fourth quarter witnessed a complete shift in momentum. Drew Thelwell emerged as a key catalyst for Pau, igniting the offense with a series of clutch shots. Pinault continued his strong shooting from distance, and Thelwell’s aggressive drives to the basket created scoring opportunities. The Elan Béarnais outscored Gries-Souffel 58-29 in the second half, ultimately securing the victory. Thelwell’s performance, including a three-pointer and a pair of free throws, proved decisive in breaking the game open. Marvin Clark also contributed significantly, sealing the win with key baskets down the stretch, pushing the score to 78-88 and then 78-95.
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The Elan Béarnais’s victory was built on a strong second-half performance and the contributions of several key players. Nze led the team in scoring and rebounding, while Cornely orchestrated the offense effectively. Thelwell’s late-game heroics proved to be the turning point, securing a crucial win for Pau-Lacq-Orthez. According to Be-Basketball, Nze currently averages 8.1 rebounds per game, while Cornely leads the team with 7.7 assists.
The Elan Béarnais will now turn their attention to their upcoming match against Denain on Friday, March 14th. This game will be crucial as both teams are currently tied for fifth place in the Elite 2 standings. A win would further solidify Pau-Lacq-Orthez’s position in the playoff race.
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