This is the last chance game for Orleans Loiret Basketball. 17th and relegation since the defeat against Châlons-Reims, the OLB will play its survival at the highest level of French basketball this Tuesday on the parquet floor of Gravelines-Dunkirk (8:30 p.m.), on the 34th and last day of Betclic Elite. Victory is imperative, but it will also be necessary for all the planets to be aligned for the Loiretans to validate their maintenance. It would only be acquired in the event of success in the North, combined with a defeat for Fos-sur-Mer or Paris Basket.
Fos au Portel, Paris to Boulogne-Levallois
“This is the last opportunity. This is an important moment for the club, individually for each player, for us coaches. What annoys me is that it doesn’t just depend on us. We already have to do a first part of the work‘, explains the Orleans coach Germain Castano. If his players win and the Fosséens lose at Portelwhich was maintained in Bourg-en-Bresse last week, the OLB will have one victory more than its direct competitor and will remain one more year in the elite.
On the other hand, if Fos wins, we must then hope that Paris bows on the floor of Boulogne-Levallois, the third in the standings. The three teams would then be perfectly tied in the standings with 12 wins. At this little game, Ile-de-France residents would be relegated.
Le Portel will want to celebrate their good season, I can’t see them giving up in front of their public – Jeremy Nzeulie
A Parisian defeat at Boulogne-Levallois is what seems the most logical, even if Jeremy Nzeulie also expects a lot from Portel: “it’s a team that I can’t see giving up in front of their home crowd, last game of the season, in the North, they like to celebrate, so I think they’re going to want to celebrate their great season together! It’s two difficult games, we need a twist of fate, but what’s good is that we are entitled to two opportunities to be able to maintain ourselves. But it starts with a victory on our side.“
“Losing is not an option”, according to Jérémy Nzeulie
Germain Castano believes that the meeting at Gravelines-Dunkirk will be played”at will“.”On the first 10 minutes, we have to show everyone that we came to get our support. Attitudes have to go with it. I managed to find a positive point in our first half against Châlons: that’s exactly what you shouldn’t do again“, completes the Orleans coach.
Jeremy Nzeulie is he already in warrior mode. “It’s life and death, we have no choice, we have to win. Losing is not an option. It is from the moment we accept to lose, that the option to lose is created“, philosopher the Orleans winger. On the first leg, in February, the OLB had largely won against Gravelines-Dunkerque (91-77), the “reference game” of the Loiretans according to Germain Castano.
Gravelines-Dunkerque – OLB live and in full on France Bleu Orléans
Gravelines-Dunkerque – Orléans Loiret Basket, it’s to live this Tuesday from 8 p.m. live and in full on France Bleu Orleans. Kick off at 8:30 p.m..