Saint-Vallier Holds Off Vitré After Third Quarter Blitz
Saint-Vallier asserted their dominance at the summit of Group B, overcoming Vitré 84-75 on the road. After clinging to a slim 38-35 lead at halftime, Saint-Vallier unleashed a decisive 27-9 run in the third quarter, building an insurmountable 65-44 advantage. While Vitré rallied late, narrowing the deficit to single digits, Saint-Vallier's superior field goal efficiency, shooting 52% (29/56) compared to Vitré's 39% (28/71), proved crucial.
Vitré's offence was spearheaded by Leonardo Jackson Lanfranco De Bruhl, who poured in 21 points and dished out 4 assists, with Fidelis Akpah Okereke and Sullivan Hernandez contributing a combined 16 rebounds. However, Saint-Vallier's balanced attack and playmaking proved too much. Damien Archinard led all scorers with 18 points, while Sasha Derradji recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 assists, complemented by Justinas Jogminas' 11 points and 4 assists. Saint-Vallier's 25 assists, compared to Vitré's 16, highlighted their offensive cohesion, despite a comparable turnover count (19 vs 21).
The win strengthens Saint-Vallier's hold on first place (19-5), while Vitré (11-12) slips further down the standings, facing an uphill battle for playoff contention.