Hyères-Toulon Var Basket secured a 103-97 victory against Stade Rochelais at the Palais des Sports, driven by a scoring performance from its bench unit that generated 69 points, or 67 percent of the team’s total offense.
Pal palais des Sports Offensive Outpouring
The home opener in the south of France saw the Varois cross the century mark in ELITE 2, following an 82-76 road win at Fos-sur-Mer. While the starting lineup contributed 34 points, the second unit overwhelmed La Rochelle’s defense to establish a new club record for bench scoring across all competitions, according to figures released by the HTV organization. The game nearly slipped away in the final minutes after Hyères-Toulon built a 98-82 lead with 2 minutes and 27 seconds remaining, as Bensley Joseph scored 18 points to fuel a 13-0 run by the Maritime side before the hosts closed out the win.
Moses Greenwood and the Bench Trio Lead the Attack
Three reserves accounted for 60 of the 69 bench points, translating to nearly 87 percent of the second-unit production and more than half of the team’s entire output. Moses Greenwood led the scoring charge with 29 points, crossing the 1,000-point milestone with the club. Natéo Des Bordes added 20 points, bouncing back from a difficult opening outing, while Moustafa Haidara contributed 11 points through high-energy play above the rim. Greenwood returned under his existing contract, whereas Des Bordes arrived during the summer transfer window from Pôle France and Haidara joined from Tours.
Stéphane Dumas on Rotation Balance and Tactical Shift
Hyères-Toulon coach Stéphane Dumas defended his lineup strategy after the game, explaining that starting key contributors off the bench provides better balance over 40 minutes. Dumas acknowledged that while the starting unit conceded 15 points early on, the incoming rotation surrendered only four points over the subsequent five minutes while elevating defensive intensity and ball movement. That initial bench rotation erased a 15-10 deficit by pouring in 24 points in eight minutes to flip the momentum. At the other end, La Rochelle coach Germain Castano pointed to defensive lapses in transition and a failure to execute planned interior traps as major factors in allowing 54 first-half points, alongside 53 percent shooting from beyond the arc by the hosts in the second quarter.
Hyères-Toulon Remains Undefeated After Two Rounds
With the victory, Hyères-Toulon remains undefeated through the opening two rounds of the ELITE 2 season. The squad prepares for its next league fixture while managing the physical toll of a contest that saw La Rochelle push the pace late behind outside shooting from Andréa Samat and six turnovers by HTV guard John Roberson.
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