Silas Melson scored 22 points and grabbed four rebounds to lead the JDA Dijon to a 91-81 victory over Saint-Quentin at the Palais des Sports Pierre-Ratte on Friday night, maintaining the club’s undefeated start to the Betclic Élite season. The visitors weathered a late push from the hosts before securing a ten-point margin in the closing minutes.
How Dijon Built and Protected Its Early Lead
The visiting side established control early behind the interior presence of Shevon Thompson and the perimeter marksmanship of Kregor Hermet. Thompson finished the night with 12 points and 15 rebounds, anchoring the paint while Hermet contributed 19 points, connecting consistently from beyond the arc. Dijon capitalized on an aggressive offensive posture that alternated between inside scoring, penetration near the rim, and outside shooting to build a 36-49 advantage by halftime. Melson scored 14 points in the first period alone, demonstrating a large offensive palette that allowed him to sanction with ease in the perimeter and show touch and vivacity with the ball in hand to conclude near the circle, while Quentin Losser multiplied his efforts on the rebound.
Saint-Quentin responded in the second half behind 14 points from Axel Toupane, an individual with NBA experience who helped spark a home-team surge alongside Anderson with 13 points, Neal with 13 points, Krubally with 8 points, Cleveland with 7 points, Dally with 7 points, Kinsey with 7 points, Munanga with 6 points, and Brena-Chemille with 6 points. The hosts trimmed the deficit to five points late in the fourth quarter at 73-78, forcing the Bourguignons into critical defensive stands. Head coach Vincent Dumestre acknowledged the difficulty of containing the momentum in a hostile arena, noting that his squad maintained its composure when the crowd grew loud.
Dumestre Uses Deep Rotation to Distribute Scoring
Vincent Dumestre relies on a deep rotation that routinely deploys all ten members of his roster for at least 16 minutes per game. Statistical records show that eight Dijon players average more than eight points per contest, distributing scoring responsibilities across the lineup. In addition to Melson and Hermet, Justin Bibbins orchestrated the offense with 10 points and 9 assists, while Kevion Taylor added 11 points, overcoming early shooting struggles to hit crucial shots down the stretch.
Prior to the fixture, it was noted that Saint-Quentin entered the round searching for defensive stability after conceding more than 90 points per game during an October slide, following a fiasco at Pau-Orthez where they conceded 102 points.
Closing Out the Contest in the Money Time
Just as they did previously against BCM, the visitors avoided a nervous finish by executing cleanly in the final minutes. Leading 85-81 following a timeout, Thompson secured a vital defensive rebound before Melson sealed the outcome with two three-pointers that quieted the home supporters. Williams Narace added 10 points to the winning effort, rounding out a balanced scoresheet that featured contributions from Quentin Losser with 4 points and Elwin Ndjock with 3 points.
The triumph keeps the Jeanne at the summit of the Betclic Élite standings with a 5-0 record. The squad now turns its attention toward its next fixture, scheduled for Friday, October 30, where they will face SLUC Nancy at home in an effort to prolong their winning run.
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