Poitiers edges Hyères-Toulon in crucial Pro B clash
Marcus Hammond spearheaded Poitiers to a vital 81-75 home win against Hyères-Toulon, solidifying their Pro B playoff push. Holding a slim four-point lead at halftime (36-32), Poitiers extended their advantage to nine entering the final period (59-50), an edge they would ultimately preserve. The second quarter proved decisive, with Poitiers outscoring their visitors 20-13 to seize control of the contest. The home side drew significant strength from their bench, which poured in 33 points, narrowly eclipsing Hyères-Toulon's 32 points from their reserves. While Hammond led the scoring with 16 points, Aurèle Brena-Chemille provided a crucial spark off the bench with 11 points and 8 rebounds, complemented by Kevin Harley's 7 boards for Poitiers. Hyères-Toulon, despite shooting just 32% from the field (18/57), stayed in contention thanks to a near-perfect 30-of-34 performance from the free-throw line, with Elwin Ndjock (15 pts) and John Roberson (14 pts, 6 assists) leading the charge. This victory moves Poitiers (10W-9L) closer to Hyères-Toulon (11W-8L) in the standings.