26 September, 2016
30 April, 2017
3 Lance Harris (Elan Chalon), 24 Jeremy Nzeulie (Elan Chalon), 21 John Roberson (Elan Chalon), Jean-denys Choulet (Elan Chalon)
26/04/2017
News
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Another heart-breaking FIBA Europe Cup exit for Elan Chalon

NANTERRE (FIBA Europe Cup) - A year removed from finishing third in the FIBA Europe Cup, Elan Chalon went one step further and climbed one position higher, but ultimately ended up half a stride short of the club's first European title after losing out to Nanterre 92 in the gold-medal duel.

Heartbreak is now, once again, the overwhelming feeling between the coaches, players, the large number of travelling supporters and those watching the game in Chalon-sur-Saone, many of whom gathered at the Colisee to watch the game on the big screen.

"We came back into the game, like in Chalon, but the difference is we weren't in Chalon here."Jean-Denys ChouletJean-Denys Choulet

Last year it came after a Semi-Final exit to Openjobmetis Varese in a Final Four that Elan Chalon's side hosted. This time, Jean-Denys Choulet's did get over the penultimate barrier, but were denied when it hurts the most – in the last game of the season.

Having arrived to Nanterre for the second leg of the Final all knotted up after the first game ended in a 58-58 draw, Elan Chalon once allowed their opponents to run away to a double-digit lead in the first half before starting to play their brand of basketball.

"We didn’t play like we’re used to playing – with energy, and with a smile on our face. With some guys, when something is not going right, sometimes they put their heads down. That’s why Nanterre had a great first half. We got a good second half, but it was a little bit too late," coach Choulet explained after the game.

The game followed the same scenario as the first leg, with Nanterre going up by double figures in the first half and then Elan Chalon bounced back, mounting a second-half comeback. 


Not an uncommon expression on Choulet's face on Tuesday

The difference being that there was no happy ending to this cat-and-mouse chase in Nanterre.

"We had two or three open shots at the end to tie with Nanterre. We missed the shots, but I'm not sad because of the last shots. All I can say is that I'm not mad about the second part of the game, it's the first part that makes me mad," the Elan Chalon play-caller said at the press conference at the Palais des Sports Maurice Thorez after the game.

It was the red-hot shooting of Nanterre in the first half that left Elan Chalon scrambling to make up ground after intermission, with the hosts converting 12-of-16 of their attempts from three-point range in the first two quarters.

"Being here in a championship game and losing, it's very tough. I feel like the first half was the same as in the first game with their shooters getting hot. When you let guys like that get open shots, it gets hard. They shot 75% from three-point range in the first half and it was tough for us to come back," said Elan Chalon forward Cameron Clark, who was one of the top scorers in the game with 24 points.

They did come back, even going up by a point early in the fourth quarter, but Nanterre knocked the wind out of their sails again by stepping up their game in the final stretch of the contest fueled by the energy of the home crowd.

"We came back into the game, like in Chalon, but the difference is we weren't in Chalon here," coach Choulet said with a hapless silver medal tucked away in his pocket, which will undoubtedly gain some of its shine back after time washes away the immediate sorrow of the defeat.

After bronze last year, silver in this FIBA Europe Cup campaign, maybe third time will be the charm for Elan Chalon next year?

FIBA