Cholet defeated Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez 85-79 at La Meilleraie during the third round of the Betclic Elite season, earning their first home victory of the campaign behind 17 points from Digué Diawara.
Diawara Leads Free-Throw Performance
Digué Diawara paced the Cholet offense with 17 points in 22 minutes on the floor, doing significant damage from the charity stripe. The forward, who arrived from Le Portel in the summer of 2025 on a deal running through June 2027, drew 13 free-throw attempts and converted 12 of them. Noah Locke contributed 12 points, hitting two of his five three-point attempts, while Aaron Towo-Nansi added 11 points and four assists. Malcolm Cazalon chipped in nine points, five rebounds, and four assists, and Amadou Fall shot a perfect three-for-three from two-point range for eight points. Mohamed Diarra also anchored the glass, pulling down nine rebounds.
Halilovic Absence Handled Early
Cholet played their first fixture without team captain Miralem Halilovic, who fractured a finger during a Basketball Champions League victory against Hapoël Holon. Despite missing their veteran anchor, the hosts controlled the tempo for nearly the entire contest. Pau held the lead for a total of just twelve seconds all night. Cholet built a 22-17 advantage by the end of the opening quarter and extended the margin to 44-33 by halftime.
Pau Charge Falls Short After Intermission
Élan Béarnais mounted a fierce response after the break, slicing the deficit down to three points at 55-52 midway through the third quarter, according to BeBasket. Justin Briggs, who spent part of the 2024-25 season at Cholet for two championship appearances, anchored the Pau interior. Briggs posted 18 points on eight-of-nine shooting alongside 12 rebounds, totaling 30 in efficiency rating across 23 minutes. Michael Flowers added 16 points by sinking all nine of his free-throw attempts, captain Bastien Pinault scored 12 points behind four triples, and Fabio Milanese dished out nine assists.
Pinault Assesses the Division Challenge
Reflecting on the tough start to the season for the newly promoted club, Bastien Pinault acknowledged the steep learning curve facing the squad. On est le petit Poucet de la division et on l’a senti ce soir,
Pinault told La République des Pyrénées. Il va falloir qu’on aille chercher le respect de tout le monde. Ça va être une saison relativement compliquée, mais on va déjà basculer sur le prochain match qui est une petite finale pour nous. On reçoit Saint-Quentin, donc voilà, on va essayer de rester dans la continuité de ce qu’on a fait ici pour sécuriser une première victoire à domicile.
Upcoming Betclic Elite Fixtures
Élan Béarnais returns home to host Saint-Quentin in search of their maiden victory of the Betclic Elite season. Cholet looks to build on their momentum as domestic league play continues.
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