Raharimanantoanina Sparks Pau-Lacq-Orthez Past Vichy
Pau-Lacq-Orthez's bench provided the crucial spark, powering a decisive fourth-quarter surge to secure a 72-62 victory over Vichy at the Palais des Sports.
In this regular-season contest, Pau-Lacq-Orthez, who entered the game ninth in the standings, solidified their position, while fourth-placed Vichy missed an opportunity to climb higher.
Despite holding a slim three-point lead at halftime (42-39) and entering the final period with only a one-point advantage (55-54), the home side found another gear. They outscored Vichy 17-8 in the closing ten minutes, an advantage that sealed the win. This dominance was fuelled by 37 points from their bench, a stark contrast to Vichy's 22 bench points. Pau-Lacq-Orthez also capitalised on a 10-7 steal advantage and held Vichy to a meagre 33% shooting from the field (21-of-64).
Sitraka Raharimanantoanina, coming off the bench, led the charge with 17 points and 6 rebounds, while fellow reserve Fabio Milanese contributed 8 points and 4 assists. For Vichy, Pape Moustapha Diop posted 9 points and 6 rebounds, and Alexandre Bouzidi dished out 6 assists.
This win positions Pau-Lacq-Orthez well as the Leaders Cup approaches, bringing them closer to the top teams in the standings.