Fos Provence Basket remains winless in Elite 2 after dropping a 94-79 decision to STB Le Havre at Docks Océane. The team’s ongoing struggles early in the season stem from recurring defensive lapses and an inability to maintain consistency over four quarters.
Early Promise Gives Way to Havrais Control
Fos started brightly in the opening minutes, holding a 10-12 lead four minutes into the contest. However, that early momentum vanished quickly as defensive breakdowns allowed Le Havre to seize control, building a 25-20 advantage by the end of the first quarter and extending it to 50-38 by halftime.
Le Havre coach Lauriane Dolt had demanded greater energy, defensive intensity, and physical play following a 100-85 defeat at Aix-Maurienne. The home side delivered on those instructions, shooting 53 percent from the field and dominating inside the paint with 54 points compared to 36 for Fos.
Lack of Depth Hurts Fos Defense
Fos attempted to stay within striking distance behind Michael Oguine, who led all scorers with 19 points, alongside contributions from Mathis Keita, Ludgy Debaut, and Raijon Kelly. Yet, the visitors struggled to find defensive solutions against a balanced Le Havre attack where all ten Thomistes contributed to the scoreboard before halftime.
Fos traveled to Normandy without two of its key shooters, Garlon Green and Melvyn Da Silva. That lack of depth forced coach Abgue Barakaou to lean heavily on his starting five, leaving the rotation vulnerable as Le Havre pulled away in the second half.
Fos Provence Starts Elite 2 Campaign 0-3
The defeat leaves Fos Provence with a 0-3 record to start the Elite 2 campaign, following an 81-68 Coupe de France elimination against Hyères-Toulon and a difficult outing in Évreux. Meanwhile, STB Le Havre secured its second home victory, having previously defeated SCABB 90-77 at Docks Océane.
Le Havre Shoots 53 Percent from Field
The fixture was officiated by referees MM. Hamzaoui, Cartigny, and Dubois in front of 2,700 spectators. The quarter-by-quarter scores finished 25-20, 25-18, 25-22, and 19-19.
Le Havre shot 38 of 64 from the field (53%), including 3 of 14 from three-point range (21%), and converted 15 of 20 free throws (75%). The hosts collected 36 total rebounds—including 11 offensive boards, led by Pierce with 8—along with 25 assists, 7 interceptions, and 14 turnovers. The starting lineup featured Desseignet with 12 points, Cayol with 7, Bah with 6, Sanni with 14, and Pierce with 13, supported by substitutes Anderson with 11, Galin with 12, Djukanovic with 6, Nkombou with 9, and Gosselin with 4.
Fos finished with 28 of 62 on field goals (45%), including 8 of 20 beyond the arc (40%), and made 15 of 18 free throws (83%). The visitors secured 28 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive glass, with Debaut and Kelly each grabbing 7. They added 18 assists, with Keita providing 6, alongside 6 interceptions and 14 turnovers. The starting five comprised Etou with 11 points, Debaut with 14, Keita with 14, Kelly with 13, and Oguine with 19, followed by bench contributions from N’nah-Ndong with 2, Mendy with 6, Bouraima, and Diallo.
Following the victory, STB Le Havre guard Thibault Desseignet stated, I am satisfied, because we took a bit of a beating at Aix/Maurienne anyway. We didn’t make things easy for ourselves at Boulogne. In our heads, we had to react quickly, on the occasion of a very important match with a view to staying up. On the first matches, we had noticed that we really weren’t starting well.
Desseignet added, After technically, there are things to work on, especially defensively, but we can be satisfied. If we had been told that we would start the championship with two victories in three matchdays, we would have all signed up. For now, it’s very good.
