Two games, two wins. 2022 is off to a strong start for Dax-Gamarde. Three days after their buzzer victory on the JSA Bordeaux floor (84-85), Denis Mettay’s proteges doubled the bet on Friday evening in their hall by offering themselves the scalp of their pet peeve, Aurore Vitré (69 -63).
“A great victory against a big team from the top 5”, underlines Cédric Mansaré…
Two games, two wins. 2022 is off to a strong start for Dax-Gamarde. Three days after their buzzer victory on the JSA Bordeaux floor (84-85), Denis Mettay’s proteges doubled the bet on Friday evening in their hall by offering themselves the scalp of their pet peeve, Aurore Vitré (69 -63).
“A great victory against a big team from the top 5”, underlines Cédric Mansaré, while savoring the moment. And for good reason, the red and black had not chained two successes since the end of October, when just after their short loss on the vitreous floor (79-72), they had disposed of Challans at home (87-71) before win at Les Sables d’Olonnes (65-77). “We were expecting it. We know that we have to make a big series to stay alive in this competition”, summarizes the co-captain of the DGB.
Unlike Tuesday in Gironde, the Franco-Guinean sniper did not have to draw a big triple on the gong to crucify his opponent. “This kind of shot, it happens once a season, recognizes the post 3-4 dégébiste. Anyone could have put it on, it falls on me, so much the better, but at the time, I was especially happy for the team”.
“This defense must be our trademark for the future”
Friday, for his first game of the year in front of his home crowd, Dax-Gamarde did not build his performance on his success behind the arc, an area where Mansaré (2/7) and others were largely outclassed by the Bretons ( 10/24 against 5/30). A failure compensated by the domination of the Landais near the circle, embodied by the enormous construction site of Biruta (25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists) and the 14 offensive rebounds captured, which weighed in the final decision.
More freshness
But the DGB players’ lifeline was above all defensive. “We knew that one of the keys was to succeed in keeping them under the 70 point mark”. With 42 points conceded at the break, the DGB was not really in the nails. “But we were able to tighten the screw in the second period, as we had been able to do in Bordeaux to go up our 12 points behind, there we confirm”, welcomes Cédric Mansaré.
Limited to 24 two-point shots over the whole game (against 40 for the DGB), the Vitréans only managed to score 4 small points in the last quarter. “This defense must be our trademark for the future, continues the red and black co-captain. We have the players to defend for 40 minutes! »
Friday, despite the absences of Travis Cohn and Baptiste Lafargue (injured), Denis Mettay had at his disposal an expanded squad like never before this season, with 9 valid players. “It necessarily changes the game, there is more freshness, admits Cédric Mansaré. I myself was injured for a while, the guys played for a long time at 6 or even 7, and achieved some exploits despite everything. But of course, it uses. The truce has been good for everyone, and if we are spared the Covid and injuries, there are ways to do great things. »
But with two victories behind tenth place, synonymous with direct maintenance, eight days from the end of the first phase, Dax-Gamarde unfortunately can no longer afford the luxury of leaving too many points along the way. “We have no choice, we have to extend the series”, asserts Cédric Mansaré, well aware that it will be “complicated to go to Challans (Friday January 21, editor’s note)”.
