Basketball club ESSM Le Portel is rebuilding from the bottom of the French national basketball pyramid in Pré-nationale following a judicial liquidation that ended its professional era in the Betclic ELITE. The team secured a 103-71 victory over Vieux Lille at the Salle Carpentier, remaining undefeated early in the regional qualifying phase.
Return to the Sixth Tier at Salle Carpentier
The new competitive reality for Le Portel involves a stark contrast to previous seasons spent traveling to major French arenas and hosting powerhouse clubs like AS Monaco, Paris, and Villeurbanne. Following the financial liquidation that dissolved the professional entity of ESSM, the historic club dropped down to the sixth tier of French basketball, known as Pré-nationale. Despite the lower division, the local support remained visible as the team returned to its traditional home venue, the Salle Carpentier, to host Vieux Lille for the second match of the opening phase.
Attendance and Early Season Support
A crowd of more than 500 spectators gathered inside the intimate venue to watch the team’s home debut, according to local reports from La Voix du Nord. While a handful of reserved seats remained empty due to the absence of institutional figures and members of the club’s traditional supporters group, the “Musicos,” who were occupied with the local Trail des Trois Forts sporting event, the atmosphere inside the arena sustained the club’s traditional energy.
Defensive Identity and Roster Adjustments
Playing without veteran guard Benoît Mangin, the revamped squad relied on a core featuring the Zulmea brothers, Sgard, and Rémi Wadoux. The team established control through aggressive defensive pressure—a tactical blueprint that also fueled a 65-71 opening victory away against Grand-Fort-Philippe the previous week. This consecutive victory keeps Le Portel undefeated at the top of the qualifying table, maintaining their primary objective: securing a spot in the upper group to fight for promotion back to Nationale 3.
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