Nanterre Crowned Champions: Le Mans Eliminated
Nanterre clinched the Betclic Elite championship, dispatching Le Mans 64-55 in the decisive playoff quarter-final clash. The victory completed a 3-0 series sweep, cementing their status as champions. Despite shooting just 32% from the field (18/56), Nanterre's bench provided a significant spark, outscoring their hosts 35-19, which helped them establish a 27-30 halftime lead and extend it to 37-46 entering the final period. Le Mans, who struggled mightily from deep, hitting only 17% of their threes (5/29) and 27% overall (17/63), saw Trevor Hudgins lead all scorers with 20 points, though it proved insufficient. Mitchell Saxen's commanding 14 rebounds and Zakai Zeigler's 13 points off the bench were pivotal for Nanterre, who overcame 19 turnovers by converting a stellar 84% of their free throws (21/25). With this victory, Nanterre are crowned the Betclic Elite champions.