Pau-Lacq-Orthez opens ProA with a win

The French ProA got underway on Friday evening as Pau-Lacq-Orthez welcomed Entente Orleans and took a 72-60 home win. As meaningless as it is at this stage of the campaign, Pau are now sitting pretty at the top of the league while the downed visitors are rooted to the bottom. That is likely to change as the other teams enter the fray on Saturday, with a full schedule of games getting underway this weekend.

The hosts used a stirring defensive display in the opening ten minutes to lay a foundation for the victory. Over the opening stanza Pau-Lacq-Orthez grabbed 17 points worth of buckets and held Orleans to just 9 to have a solid 17-9 lead at the first buzzer break. The visitors improved their scoring in the second frame, but the momentum remained with the home team, Pau extending through the quarter to lead 36-25 at the midway point. Orleans improved again in the third quarter and sent home 23 points, but the hosts seemed to have more gears and kept pace by securing 23 points of their own. A level Q3 meant that the 11 point deficit was intact at the final split, with Pau-Lacq-Orthez leading 59-48 after 30 minutes. The scoring eased in the final frame as the visitors struggled to bypass the Orthez perimeter, eventually slipping to a 13-12 defeat in the stanza and losing the game.

Antywane Robinson grabbed a game high 17 points for the winners, while he also claimed the most rebounds by taking 9 off the glass. Robinson was followed by Sami Driss with 13 points and 7 boards, with Tyler Cain adding 10 points.

Derrick Nix paced Orleans with 13 points and 5 rebounds, while David Noel scored 12 in the losing effort.

Saturday, October 27, 20:00
Nanterre vs. Chalon-sur-Saône
Le Mans vs. Rouen
Cholet vs. Dijon
Chalons-Reims vs. Paris-Levallois
Bourg-en-Bresse vs. Le Havre

Sunday, September 28th, at 20:30
Limoges vs. Nancy

Monday, September 29th, at 20:30
Boulogne-sur-Mer vs. Gravelines-Dunkerque

Tuesday, September 30th, at 20:50
Strasbourg vs. Lyon-Villeurbanne