La Rochelle Edges Evreux in Thriller
In a nail-biting finish at Salle Gaston Neveur, La Rochelle snatched a crucial 81-80 victory over Evreux, cementing their seventh-place finish in the regular season. Holding a seven-point lead at halftime (44-37), the home side saw their advantage whittled down to just three entering the final period (64-61). Despite a lower field goal percentage (24/62 to Evreux's 31/69), La Rochelle's relentless defence, forcing 13 steals, compensated for a rebounding deficit (35 to 47). Bench scoring proved vital, contributing 26 points compared to Evreux's 42. Gaetan Clerc orchestrated the offence with 7 assists and an EVAL of 17, while Tyler Thomas provided 16 points and a disruptive 6 steals. For Evreux, Yvan Ouedraogo delivered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. This win positions La Rochelle favourably for the playoffs, while Evreux concludes the regular season in eighteenth place.