Opposed to kyiv in the quarter-final first leg of the FIBA Europe Cup, Cholet lost by one point and thus retains all its chances for the second leg next week.
What if Cholet was the closest French club to a European Cup final this year? Currently third in Betclic Elite, the Mauges club are playing in the FIBA Europe Cup this season, the fourth competition in the continental hierarchy, and this week and the next they are playing a quarter-final against Ukrainian club Budivelnyk Kiev. The first leg was held this Tuesday at Veroli in Italy (due to the war), and it was the Ukrainians who won, with a score of 73-72.
A gap of one point which will leave regrets to the Choletais, who led by twelve in the third quarter. kyiv, well above the rebound (44 against 30 in total), dominated the first quarter of an hour, but without creating a big gap (13-4, 5th). So much so that Cholet was able to come back and take the lead for the first time in the match (37-38, 15th) thanks to a 12-0, then return to the locker room by leading 40-50 thanks to a 6-0.
Hope for Tuesday’s return
The Ukrainians of Johnny Berhanemeskel (20pts, 6rbds, 4pds), the former player of Nanterre and Roanne, returned with better defensive intentions in the third quarter, and even if Cholet led 46-58 (27th), Kiev managed to come back to -5 at the end of the quarter (54-59). On its way, the Budivelnyk equalized at the start of the last quarter, then the two teams passed in turn, but never taking more than a three-point lead.
And finally, Bogdan Bliznyuk scored a decisive basket 36 seconds from the buzzer (73-71). Justin Patton then scored just one of his two shots (73-72) and Cholet therefore loses by one point. Dominic Artis scored 15 points and Patton and Perry Ellis had 13 each, so CB remains in contention for qualification. The return match will take place next Tuesday in the Mauges, and the winner will face Tallinn or Bamberg (80-77 victory for the Estonians at home in the first leg).
Cholet markers: Artis (15), Robineau (4), Dallo (12), Sako (3), Tillie (2), Patton (13), Goudou-Sinha (8), Ellis (13), Campbell (2)
