Due to the handball Euro currently being played in Hungary, only five Ile-de-France clubs – three in basketball and two in volleyball – were involved in championship matches this weekend. They had mixed fortunes. Overview.
Basket
The Metropolitans are recovering. After two straight losses in the league – against Roanne (92-93) and Paris Basketball (78-83) – and before a delicate trip to his runner-up Monaco, Boulogne-Levallois absolutely had to return to success. It’s done. And with manner. The Metropolitans 92 have indeed stopped this unprecedented black mini-series by winning with authority (85-80), Saturday, against Strasbourg.
A particular opponent for coach Vincent Collet who spent 9 seasons on the Alsatian bench – with 5 French championship finals – before being fired in 2020. The success of the Mets bears the hallmark of the duo Will Cummings (30 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) and Vince Hunter (32 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals). Or 62 points out of the 85 of their team. At the end of the 17th day, the last of the first leg, the leader still has two victories ahead of Monaco.
Nanterre king of the derby. Nothing stops Nanterre at the start of 2022. Not even Paris. The capital club, which nevertheless remained on a success against the leader Boulogne-Levallois, was dominated (80-83), Sunday, by its neighbor in a derby of extremes. The first in history between these two neighbors. A match that kept all its promises and was played in the dying seconds. A final counter by Chris Horton finally tipped the game over after a crazy last minute where both teams had the chance to win.
“It is above all a team victory, savors Pascal Donnadieu who, physically reduced after knee surgery, shared the coaching with his right arm Philippe Da Silva. I think this match gave a good image of Ile-de-France and French basketball. We felt a lot of enthusiasm in the stands and on the pitch. The level of play was very high. »
“It was a very good basketball game with a lot of intensity, says Jean-Christophe Prat, the Parisian coach who regretted refereeing decisions at the end of the game. We must salute the two teams for their performances. It’s a great image for basketball. But I need to watch the game again to express myself on the end of the game… ”
Volley
Despite a Rouzier on fire, Le Plessis cracks in front of Tourcoing. The Omnisports area du Plessis-Robinson had filled up (more than 700 spectators) and will have pushed its “Owls” (nicknames of the players) until the end. But it was not enough. Mauricio Motta Paes, the Franco-Brazilian coach of Tourcoing and former youth coach at the Ile-de-France club, did not give a gift for his return to Plessis.
After a terrible showdown, the promoted, carried by his sharp Antonin Rouzier on fire (28 points), ended up cracking up against his opponent. A defeat in five very tight sets (27-25, 23-25, 22-25, 25-15, 13-15) which however allows Plessis to score a point and stay in 9th place, to shoot playoffs, after the 18th day.
For the Paris Volleyball, the long-awaited shock against Sète, leader of Ligue A before the day and since dislodged by Tours, did not take place. The Mediterranean club deplored several virus-positive players in its ranks. This is the third time since the start of the season that Dorian Rougeyron’s players have been put on forced rest for this reason. The last time dates back to last weekend when the League postponed the match against Cambrai. The Parisian club will now have to make up for this delay and place these three matches in an already busy schedule.
Among the ladies, the French Stadium Paris Saint-Cloud had no difficulty defeating Chamalières in three sets (25-21, 25-22, 25-19) on Saturday during the 17th day of the Women’s League A. Thanks to these three points, Olivier Lardier’s players, who had achieved the feat of beating Cannes (3-2) 10 days ago, are getting closer to the Top 8.
