2023-05-23 21:05:41
No time to rest, nor to enjoy. Not yet. The marathon has only just begun. Barely 48 hours after having opened, on their parquet floor of the Marcel-Cerdan sports hall in Levallois, the final stages of Betclic Élite with a convincing victory (93-80), the Metropolitans go this Tuesday (8 p.m.) to Cholet for act 2 of their duel.
A new success against the Mauges club would offer them a direct sesame for the last four against the winner of the confrontation between Asvel and Le Mans. Victor Wembanyama’s goal of flying to the NBA Draft and his American destiny weighted with a new championship title would come a little closer. A setback, on the other hand, would be synonymous with a return, Thursday to Levallois, to play a beautiful game as decisive as it is indecisive and perilous.
To avoid reliving the same disappointment as last season when, after playing the leading roles during the regular phase, they had seen their progress stopped in the quarterfinals (in 2 dry matches by Pau), and to allow the public to admire the arabesques of Victor Wembanyama for a few more weeks, the Metropolitans will have to maintain the same intensity as that deployed on Sunday. In a room at the Meilleraie which promises to be full for the event – and perhaps under the eyes of Rudy Gobert, trained at the club before flying to the NBA – the slightest error will be paid for in cash. Lahaou Konaté’s partners have already experienced this at their expense.
On May 12, in a late match of the 30th day of the championship, they broke their teeth there, beaten by a whole point at the end of the match (69-68). Since then, the situation has changed a bit. Vincent Collet recorded the return to business of the injured Armel Traoré and Hugo Besson, and the arrival of leader Barry Brown (author of 17 points on Sunday).
“We got into the game well by stepping up a notch in defensive intensity, which caused them difficulties that they had not had before (in regular season), appreciated Collet after the quarter-final first leg. Barry Brown brings things we didn’t have before. He has this ability to put a shot on his own and an attacking aggressiveness that is superior to all our backs. And in addition he defends, which is important in the playoffs. »
But the Mets coach, in search of a third national title after Le Mans in 2006 and Asvel in 2009, is wary of the Choletais who have nothing to lose and will be revengeful. “We discussed it in the locker room after the match, the players already have a big desire to show something else next Tuesday for match 2”, announced Laurent Vila, coach of Cholet and crowned best coach of the year. , after the defeat on Sunday. The duel has already started.
#Betclic #Elite #Wembanyama #Mets #victory