The final of the French Basketball Cup will pit Bercy Strasbourg on April 27, which created a surprise by dismissing the holder and favorite Monaco after a suspenseful final (93-89), against Dijon, winner ( 73-68) of Vichy (ProB) Sunday in Trélazé (Maine-et-Loire). The Alsatians will aim for a third title in the competition (after 2015 and 2018) after reaching the final in 2022, a year after the Burgundians, crowned for their part in 2006.
The SIG, however, almost experienced a big disappointment and squandered a lead of 18 lengths at the start of the last quarter (78-60). The “Roca Team”, carried by its back duo composed of Mike James and Elie Okobo (27 pts each), did not let its title slip away easily, despite the absence at the end of the match of its coach Sasa Obradovic (excluded) , coming back to a point (90-89) 21 seconds from the buzzer after a “2 1” from Terry Tarpey.
James (4/8 behind the arc) even had the opportunity to put ASM in front for the first ten seconds from the siren but his winning shot ricocheted off the hoop.
Tyrus McGee (25 pts at 5/6 long distance), the man of the match on the Strasbourg side with Paul Lacombe (30 pts, 6 assists), captured the rebound, then sealed the success by returning his two free throws.
Dijon more easily dominated its second second division team in a row (after Pau-Lacq-Orthez the day before), making the hole before and after half-time (44-29 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters) before resist the return of the recent winner of the ProB Leaders Cup (65-71 one minute from the end).