Eurocup

Last pre-season tournament for the SIGmen who were traveling to Luxeuil for the LuxTrophy. For the first day of competition they faced JDA Dijon. Overall serious on both ends of the field, the SIGmen showed solid defense most of the match as well as a true warrior face to win 76 to 73 and thus qualify for the final tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.

Two matches in two days for the SIGmen who began the LuxTrophy with a clash with one of the candidates for the Top 4 of betclic ELITE: JDA Dijon. A choice opponent and a real test one week before the official resumption. A match which saw the return to the group of Léo Cavaliere and Nakye Sanders, but for which Paul Lacombe was left to rest after a blow received in training.

Back in the group, Nakye Sanders started the match. Our team displayed serious and quality defense at the start of the match. Dijon had difficulty finding their way to the circle and our players took advantage of it, like Hugo Invernizzi who stepped into the gap: 3-5, 2’30. Dijon reacted when the rotations took place (8-5, 5′), but the SIGmen were present. The pressure from the Alsatians in defense and the selflessness of Massimo Cancellieri’s team in attack made the difference. So, as time passed, our SIGmen left only crumbs for the JDA. Ending the quarter with a 2-8, Hugo (7pts) and his gang took the lead. End of 1st quarter: 12-15 (evaluation: 8-17).

The 0/6 at 3 points for the Dijonnais was one of the keys to the first 10 minutes during which the SIGmen played eye to eye in the battle for the rebound (7/8). The indestructible David Holston intended to wake all this up and the Dijon elf took to the floor. Quickly restoring the advantage to his team, he saw the trio Cavalière/Brown/Hooker respond to him (17-24, 13’30), but Dijon had definitely entered their match. Relying on their defense, they found rhythm and the Burgundians placed a 12-2 in 3′ to take the lead: 29-26, 17′. Don’t panic though, Coach C’s team let the storm pass and finished by displaying flawless seriousness, in an intense and very committed match, and thus returned to the locker room in the lead. Mi-temps: 32-33 (éval: 32-33).

The protagonists were in the heat of the Palais des Sports and for the SIGmen Chaundee Brown was the engine of the Alsatian machine after the break. The 38-35 in favor of the JDA transformed into 38-41 for the SIG Strasbourg after 4′ of play with 6pts from this brave Chaundee (13pts at the 30′). The commitment of the players was strong, we felt the real recovery was on the horizon. With a total of 20 free throws in the quarter for both teams, we felt that nothing was being offered and between the 24th and 30th minute the lead of one of the two teams never exceeded more than 2pts. So, 10 minutes from the end, nothing was done. End of the 3rd quarter: 55-57 (eval: 48-61).

Even more aggressiveness was required of our players from the start of the last period and we felt the immediate action being taken. Hugo took to the post aggressively from the first seconds and, in his wake, relying on an iron defense, the whole team literally marched on the JDA who couldn’t find a solution. With a 4-16 in 5′, SIG Strasbourg, under the leadership of an easy Phil Booth (15pts-6ft) built up a comfortable little mattress in the 35th minute: 59-73. The man of the match on the Strasbourg side, Chaundee Brown (17pts), got the better of Cameron Hunt’s efforts who could only see the Dijon defeat that was taking shape. However, Dijon had heart and the money time showed it. Believing in it until the last second, he came to blow down the necks of our players 30 seconds from the buzzer (73-75, 39’30) by planting a 14-2 in 3’30 that no one saw coming. Fortunately our players did not give their opponent the opportunity to reverse the trend and locked in the last seconds to finally win. SCORE FINAL : 73-76 (éval : 64-84)

Let’s forget the end of this match, even if the preseason is also used for that. Know moments that a group can build on later. We will remember the first 36 minutes during which the defense of our players was solid (59pts conceded in the 36th), the great presence in the painting of our interiors following the returns of Léo and Nakye (32rbs to 29 for Strasbourg) despite the presence tenors facing in this area and above all the warrior soul of a team which has not finished causing problems to anyone who stands in its way this season.

#Seriousness #victory