Le Mans Sarthe Basket has cemented its place as a consistent force in French basketball, surpassing historic rivals ASVEL to become the club with the most appearances in national finals since the year 2000. This achievement was secured following their 82-73 victory over Toulon on Wednesday, a result that propelled them into another championship contest.
The win at Toulon marked the 21st final for Le Mans since 2000 – and even 2003 when considering the club’s full history – edging out ASVEL, a traditionally dominant program in French basketball. The statistic underscores the remarkable stability and sustained success of the club from the Sarthe department.
“It’s Very Rare!”
“To surpass ASVEL, which is a mythical club in French basketball, is significant,” remarked Vincent Loriot, the Sporting Director of Le Mans Sarthe Basket. Loriot emphasized the rarity of such consistent performance. “What makes a club strong is its ability to remain competitive. It’s very rare. Even when we’ve had less successful seasons, we’ve never collapsed and have always sought to maintain a sense of serenity.”
This consistency is rooted in both emotional and structural stability within the organization. “We’ve never overturned the table,” Loriot stated, highlighting the long tenures of key figures. Christian Devos, from Gravelines, has been a consistent presence, while Christophe Le Bouille has served as president since 2008 – the longest-serving president in the Betclic ÉLITE league. He is supported by Vincent Loriot, who has been by his side since 2012. Le Mans has also demonstrated a commitment to its coaching staff, with Vincent Collet serving for eight years, J.D. Jackson for six, and Elric Delord for five.
“Not a Club of Disruption”
“This consistency in reaching the finals is largely due to the continuity of the club’s DNA,” Loriot explained. “Le Mans is not a club of disruption. The stability of the people involved undoubtedly contributes greatly to the club’s longevity and performance.”
The arrival of Guillaume Vizade as head coach in 2024 has further bolstered this stability. Prior to Vizade, Le Mans had already reached 16 finals out of 68 possible appearances – a ratio of nearly 25% in the highly competitive French basketball landscape. Since then, the team has reached 5 finals in the last 6 opportunities, bringing their overall proportion to almost 30% (21 finals out of 74).
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“A Great Pride”
“We work incredibly hard every day,” said former Vichy coach after qualifying for the Leaders Cup final. “Reaching a final is always a performance milestone. It’s also deeply ingrained in the club’s DNA, and we can be proud of that.”
Ten days later, after the win in Toulon, Vizade echoed those sentiments. “We don’t have much time to savor it, but it’s true that it’s a great source of pride, especially considering the competition in all French basketball competitions. It’s very good, and we want to continue like this.”
However, the last two seasons have seen Le Mans’s success rate in finals dip below 50% (9 titles, 11 defeats). The team has struggled in its last three final appearances, losing to Paris in the Coupe de France (80-91) and twice to Monaco in the SuperCup and Leaders Cup (79-104 and 79-103 respectively).
Getting to the Final is One Thing; Winning is Better
“Am I looking for revenge after the 2025 Coupe de France final? Especially now, I’m disappointed by the Leaders Cup final, so the motivation is there,” Vizade acknowledged. “I think we can do better. We want to gain experience each time we play in a final in order to win the next one. Positioning ourselves at the final level is sustainable performance. Now, transforming something great into something magnificent is the next step.”
The ultimate goal? 21 national finals, certainly. But Le Mans has historically struggled on the European stage, with a consistent pattern of early eliminations and a quarterfinal appearance in the EuroChallenge in 2015 as their best result. However, the MSB is now well-positioned to reach the quarterfinals of the Basketball Champions League, and potentially go even further. “We have a historic qualification to pursue,” Vizade stated, hinting at a desire to build a continental reputation as well.
Number of Finals Disputed by French Clubs Since 2000:
- 21 finals: Le Mans
- 20 finals: ASVEL
- 13 finals: Strasbourg, Monaco
- 11 finals: Élan Béarnais
- 8 finals: Gravelines-Dunkerque, Nancy
- 7 finals: Chalon-sur-Saône, Nanterre
- 6 finals: Limoges, Dijon
- 5 finals: Cholet, Orléans
- 4 finals: Paris Basketball
- 3 finals: Roanne, Bourg-en-Bresse, Levallois (PSG Racing, PL, Metropolitans 92)
- 1 final: Le Havre, Vichy, Le Portel, Boulazac
This ranking does not take into account the various European finals disputed by French clubs
Le Mans will now prepare for their upcoming final, with their next challenge awaiting them at the AccorArena. The team’s continued success is a testament to their unwavering commitment to stability, performance, and a deeply ingrained winning culture.
At the Arena Futuroscope and then in Toulon,
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