Roanne’s remarkable twelve-game winning streak in Elite 2 has come to an end, though they firmly maintain their strong position at the top of the league standings. Poitiers secured the victory with a pivotal performance from their powerful 2.10m, 22-year-old pivot, Narcisse Ngoy (on loan from JL Bourg), who delivered 20 points, 14 rebounds, and an impressive evaluation of 35.
The turning point of the game came in the fourth quarter when a dip in Roanne’s performance allowed Poitiers to stage a decisive comeback, notably sealed by two crucial long-range shots from Marcus Hammond. After being outscored 18-32 in the third quarter, Poitiers dramatically reversed the momentum, inflicting a 30-14 run on their opponents in the final period.
Coach TJ Parker reflected on the game in Le Progrès:
“This wasn’t the kind of basketball we usually play; our heads weren’t in it, and the attitudes weren’t great, which bothered me a bit. I wouldn’t say it’s complacency; this is a very serious group that works hard. We need to move on now. We had a 12-game winning streak, and we knew it would stop at some point. The most important thing is to get back on track. Poitiers was very good one-on-one; they performed exceptionally well, and we couldn’t hold our ground in individual matchups.”
While not all teams have played the same number of matches, five teams – Blois, Pau, Orléans, Denain, and Vichy – are currently tied with 17 victories, five less than Roanne. The league leaders now have 10 games remaining to secure their highly anticipated return to Betclic Elite.
