Boulogne-sur-Mer secured a hard-fought 73-69 victory over Union Rennes Basket 35 on Monday night at the Palais des sports Damrémont, booking their place in the Round of 16 of the French Cup, BeBasket reported.
Palais des Sports Damrémont Battle
The clash between two Nationale masculine 1 (NM1) clubs delivered a physical contest on November 9, 2026. Boulogne entered the match sitting third in Poule A with six wins and two losses, while Rennes arrived atop Poule B carrying a 7-2 record, according to BeBasket.
The home side established a narrow 34-32 advantage by halftime after a tight opening quarter. Rennes responded after the interval, surging ahead by as many as nine points at 61-52 before Boulogne mounted a late comeback to force overtime at 66-66.
Boulogne Wins in Overtime Through Paint Dominance
Boulogne seized control in the extra session, sealing the win on an alley-oop finish by Ismael Cadiau, who finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. BeBasket reported that the victors overcame 19 turnovers compared to Rennes’ 10 and shot just 17% from beyond the arc against 26% for the visitors.
Inside the paint, however, Boulogne established a clear advantage by grabbing 50 rebounds to Rennes’ 39. Forward Lucas Thevenard anchored that interior effort with 11 rebounds, six points, six assists, and four blocks, while Rennes’ David Amarh posted a game-high 20 efficiency rating with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Round of 16 Outlook
The 73-69 triumph marks Boulogne’s first appearance in the Round of 16 since the 2017-18 season, when they exited against Levallois. They join Berck as the second NM1 club confirmed for the next phase.
Boulogne will face the winner of the remaining Round of 32 fixture between Poitiers and Caen. That matchup will determine their opponent in a round where teams reaching the Betclic ÉLITE playoffs enter the competition.
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