Châlons-Reims edges Denain in playoff thriller
Châlons-Reims secured their passage to the next round by outlasting Denain 62-60 in a decisive playoff encounter at the Complexe Sportif Jean Degros. The visitors sealed the best-of-one series 2-0, eliminating Denain from contention.
Holding a slim two-point lead at halftime (30-32), Châlons-Reims built on their advantage to enter the final period with a six-point cushion (42-48). Despite shooting just 35% from the field (25/71) and a meagre 17% from beyond the arc (4/23), the team leveraged 31 points from their bench and a slight rebounding edge (48-47).
Denain, who struggled at 30% shooting (19/64) and 32% from three-point range (8/25), received 26 points from their reserves, but it wasn't enough. Lien Phillip led the home side with 12 points, complemented by 11 points from reserve Marcos Suka-Umu. For Châlons-Reims, Tidjan Keita was a force with 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Djordje Milosevic added 7 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, both impactful off the bench. Defensive intensity was key, as Châlons-Reims tallied 7 steals and 5 blocks.
Châlons-Reims now advances to the subsequent playoff stage, with Denain's season concluded.