Review of NM1 Round 1 of 1/8 Finals

Challans - Chartres 71-91

C'Chartres shot the lights out from three sinking 12 long-distance shots on high 57.1 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 30 assists. Worth to mention a great performance of Ivorian-Filipino center Kakou Kouame (208-1997) who helped to win the game recording 18 points and 5 rebounds. American-Nigerian forward Mezie Offurum (203, college: JMU) contributed with 15 points and 5 assists for the winners. Naturalized American forward Marc Gosselin (201-1996, college: WCU) answered with 14 points and 6 rebounds and Gary Berchel (203-1998) added 9 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Vendee Challans. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Challans: M.Gosselin 14+6reb, L.Plasse 13+1reb+1ast, A.Prugnieres 10+4reb+2ast, G.Berchel 9+7reb+2ast, G.Bengaber 6+1reb+1ast, M.Diop 5+2reb+2ast
Chartres: K.Kakou 18+5reb+2ast, M.Offurum 15+1reb+5ast, T.Prost 12+1ast, T.Lucas 11+5reb+4ast, C.Hippolyte 9+5reb+1ast, M.Kouguere 8+5reb

Loon-Plage - Saint Vallier 65-101

Saint Vallier players were unselfish on offense dishing 24 assists. Loon-Plage was plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. American point guard Jazzmarr Ferguson (185-1989, college: IU Southeast) stepped up and scored 21 points for the winners and Ugandan-American Deng Geu (203-1997, college: N.Texas) chipped in 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Four Saint Vallier players scored in double figures. At the losing side point guard Hugo Desseignet (175-2003) responded with 14 points and 4 assists and guard Theo Rey (194-2000) scored 11 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Loon-Plage: D.Hugo 14+4reb+4ast, J.Robertson 13, T.Rey 11+2reb+1ast, P.Clement 8+1ast, P.Duwiquet 6+3reb+3ast, F.Cissoko 6+5reb
Saint Vallier: J.Ferguson 21+4reb+3ast, D.Geu 18+5reb+5ast, J.Cazenobe 14+9reb, D.Ramseyer 12+4reb+1ast, J.Kebe 8+1reb+5ast, M.Ethan 6

Vitre - Avignon/Pontet 72-70

Vitre forced 21 Avignon/Pontet turnovers. Point guard Kilian Incredule (175-1996) nailed 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the winning side and point guard Warren Racine (188-1995) accounted for 10 points and 7 assists. Five Vitre players scored in double figures. Vitre's coach Fabien Calvez used a ten-player rotation in such tough game. Serbian-Montenegrin center Nemanja Kovanusic (204-1993) came up with 18 points and 8 rebounds and point guard Geoffrey Bourcier (183-1988) added 13 points and 8 rebounds respectively for Avignon/Pontet in the defeat.
Top scorers:
Avignon/Pontet: N.Kovanusic 18+8reb+3ast, G.Bourcier 13+8reb+1ast, S.Hernandez 9+5reb+2ast, M.Lazare 9+2ast, S.Cayol 9+4reb+7ast, L.Lenoir 7+1reb
Vitre: K.Incredule 20+5reb+5ast, V.Fandelet 10+1reb, W.Racine 10+1reb+7ast, A.Racine 10+2reb+1ast, B.Hugo 10+3reb+1ast, K.Nkounkou 6+2reb

Boulogne - Tarbes-Lourdes 91-93

Lourdes-Tarbes looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists. Cameroonian guard Fabien Ateba (192-1991) nailed 28 points and 5 rebounds (on 10-of-13 shooting from the field) for the winning side and Senegalese center Tidiane Badiane (208-1995) accounted for 14 points and 9 rebounds. Lourdes-Tarbes' coach Stephane Dao allowed to play the deep bench players in such tough game. American guard Randy Haynes (193-1995, college: ODU, agency: SLN) came up with 23 points, 5 assists and 4 steals (made all of his seven free throws) and the former international Garry Chathuant (195-1983) added 23 points and 6 rebounds respectively for SO Maritime Boulogne in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Boulogne: R.Haynes 23+4reb+5ast, G.Chathuant 23+6reb+3ast, C.Andre 16+6reb, D.Radnic 12+3reb+6ast, K.Eric 9+5reb+4ast, L.Nadyr 8+1reb+5ast
Tarbes-Lourdes: F.Ateba 28+5reb+2ast, T.Badiane 14+9reb+3ast, M.Queta 12+5reb+5ast, J.Boucaud 10+2reb+1ast, M.Chambre 9+6reb+6ast, N.Pharose 8+1ast

Rueil - Quimper 74-87

Quimper UJAP shot the lights out from three sinking 13 long-distance shots on high 54.2 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists. Guard Benoit Injai (186-1997) nailed 16 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side and point guard Antoine Dudit (181-1997) accounted for 11 points and 8 assists. Point guard Elian Benitez (180-2003) came up with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 12 assists and swingman Steven Ricard (200-1990) added 18 points and 9 rebounds respectively for Rueil in the defeat. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest.
Top scorers:
Rueil: S.Ricard 18+9reb+2ast, J.Morency 17+5reb+1ast, B.Elian 16+3reb+12ast, O.Gudul 8+4reb, S.Birahima 7+1reb+3ast, R.Lanaras 4+5reb+4ast
Quimper: B.Injai 16+5reb+1ast, P.Bouloukouet 12+1reb+1ast, A.Dudit 11+2reb+8ast, A.Mensah 11+3ast, J.Awich 10+6reb+2ast, S.Bangura 8+2reb

Mulhouse - Andrezieux 77-68

Mulhouse looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists comparing to just 10 passes made by Andrezieux's players. Guard Morgan Durand (188-1993) nailed 20 points and 4 assists (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winning side and Florian Pouaveyoun (203-1999) accounted for 14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks (on 6-of-7 shooting from the field). Senegalese forward Pape Diop (202-1996, college: Cape Breton) came up with 13 points and Theo Bouteille (192-1997) added 11 points respectively for Andrezieux in the defeat. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest.
Top scorers:
Andrezieux: R.Malonga 13+2ast, P.Diop 13+4reb, T.Bouteille 11+4reb+2ast, J.Burrows 8+6reb+1ast, L.Weber 7+1reb+1ast, M.Diarra 6+2reb
Mulhouse: M.Durand 20+1reb+4ast, F.Pouaveyoun 14+9reb+1ast, V.Serrano 13+3reb, N.Seydou 9+2reb+5ast, A.Jonathan 6+4reb+1ast, S.Eyango-Dingo 5+4reb+1ast

Le Havre - Caen 81-57

STB Le Havre made 19-of-22 free shots (86.4 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists comparing to just 11 passes made by Caen's players. Valentin Bigote (196-1992) nailed 24 points and 8 assists for the winning side and DR Congolese-Belgian power forward Ruphin Kayembe (200-1992) accounted for 8 points and 8 rebounds. Ivorian center Bali Coulibaly (199-1995) came up with 11 points and American swingman Wendell Davis (197-1995, college: Ashland) added 9 points respectively for Caen in the defeat. Since the result was very predictable, it gave the chance for the coaches to test many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest.
Top scorers:
Caen: B.Coulibaly 11+3reb, W.Davis 9+3reb+2ast, R.Antoine 7+3reb+2ast, B.Yanik 7+2reb+3ast, Y.Siegwarth 6, M.Mutuale 6+3reb+3ast
Le Havre: V.Bigote 24+3reb+8ast, F.Thomas 13+4reb+1ast, M.Var 10+6reb, D.Nseke Ebele 9+4reb+1ast, R.Kayembe 8+8reb+3ast, T.Housieaux 5+5reb+1ast

Pont-de-Cheruy - Tours 74-82

Tours looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. Guard Tanguy Touze (190-2000, college: Bethel, IN) nailed 32 points and 6 rebounds (on 11-of-14 shooting from the field) for the winning side and American swingman Scott Suggs (197-1989, college: Washington) accounted for 13 points. Gabonese center Brice Eyaga (205-1998) came up with 20 points and 6 rebounds and guard Mahes Montout (185-2000) added 14 points and 5 assists respectively for SOPCC in the defeat. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest.
Top scorers:
Pont-de-Cheruy: E.Brice 20+6reb, M.Mahes 14+4reb+5ast, N.Maydden 12+4reb+5ast, T.Dary-Sagnes 8+2reb+2ast, S.Maxime 6+1reb+2ast, C.Ambroise 5+4reb
Tours: T.Touze 32+6reb, S.Suggs 13+2reb+3ast, A.Dargenton 7+2ast, A.Thimon 7+2reb, F.Paschal 6+5reb+3ast, K.Ousmane 6+4reb+1ast