JDA Dijon beats Elan Béarnais 89-61 in Betclic Élite match

The JDA Dijon secured an 89-61 victory over Elan Béarnais at the Palais des Sports in Pau during the Betclic Élite season, as reported by local and club sources. Led by Elwin Ndjock and Justin Bibbins, the visitors capitalized on a cohesive team performance and strong outside shooting to overwhelm their hosts, following Dijon’s opening 81-72 win against Strasbourg.

The fixture showcased stark contrasts in roster execution, highlighted by defensive pressure and transition efficiency from the visiting side.

Palois Resistance and Early Momentum at the Palais des Sports

Elan Béarnais opened the match with aggressive intent in front of its home supporters, taking an early 6-2 lead after an opening-week 78-64 defeat on the parquet of Nanterre. Coach Mickaël Hay altered his starting lineup by introducing pivot Ben Middlbrooks in place of Justin Briggs, aiming to contain Shevon Thompson. The tactical adjustment paid initial dividends when Maughmer hit a three-pointer to ignite the home crowd, breaking a trend after the team waited for 17 attempts the previous week.

Dijon quickly answered through Elwin Ndjock, who converted from beyond the arc alongside Justin Bibbins to swing the score to 8-5 for the visitors. Ndjock finished the opening period with eight points on perfect shooting, lifting the Jeanne to a 19-14 advantage after ten minutes of play, according to match accounts published by the club.

Defensive Pressure and Dijon Take Control Before the Half

Pau attempted a recovery early in the second quarter, narrowing the deficit to 22-20 following two scoring incisions by Flowers and a mid-range shot from Middlbrooks. A subsequent defensive stop fueled a 9-0 run that put the hosts back ahead at 23-22, forcing Vincent Dumestre to stop the game.

The tactical pause stopped the slide. Dijon responded with a 13-2 burst over a three-minute span, driven by transition play and two steals that exposed lapses in the Pau defense. By halftime, Dijon had extended its lead to 39-28, keeping the hosts to a low scoring output reminiscent of their opening-week struggles in Nanterre where they were held to 26 points at the break.

Third-Quarter Separation Led by Justin Bibbins

Any hopes of a Pau comeback vanished in the third quarter as Dijon accelerated its tempo, despite initial lower-scoring intent from the Palois led by Mballa that briefly closed the gap to 41-33 at the 22nd minute. Kregor Hermet and Shevon Thompson controlled the paint while the defensive unit stifled the Palois attack. Justin Bibbins took command of the visitor offense, scoring 13 points in the period alone and finishing with six total assists on the night.

Kevion Taylor added a perimeter shot to push the margin past 15 points, and Tom Audry chipped in before Bibbins beat the third-quarter buzzer with another three-pointer. The scoreline stood at 70-47 heading into the final frame, effectively ending competitive balance.

Closing Minutes and Final Statistics at Pau

The final ten minutes played out under Dijon’s control. Kevion Taylor opened the period before Ndjock struck with three consecutive long-range shots to stretch the margin to 30 points at 83-53, punctuated by a late dunk to conclude his festival as the top scorer for Dijon. The game closed at 89-61.

For Pau, Mballa led the scoring with 12 points, followed by Flowers with 10, Maughmer with 9, Noel with 8, Gary with 6, Middlebrooks with 6, Cornely with 5, Pinault with 2, Briggs with 2, and Milanese with 1. The defeat leaves Elan Béarnais alongside Boulazac and Nancy without a win, prompting blunt admissions from the coaching staff regarding the team’s offensive rhythm and defensive consistency.

Coaching Assessment and Immediate Schedule Following the Defeat

Mickaël Hay addressed reporters after the final buzzer regarding his team’s performance. On perd le fil offensivement, Hay said, pointing to excessive individual dribbling and a lack of collective enthusiasm on the floor, noting that the team features an encéphalogramme un petit peu plat and that some players appear to be afraid of playing at this level. He noted that the squad lacked energy and rhythm during key stretches of the contest, adding, Je commence à avoir un jugement sur certains ou sur certaines choses.

Despite the difficult start to the campaign, Hay emphasized that recovery must take precedence over immediate introspection with a Coupe de France fixture looming. Elan Béarnais travels to face Tarbes in cup competition before returning to league action, while Dijon prepares to host CSP Limoges at the Palais des Sports de Dijon on Friday, October 9, at 20:00 local time.