Poitiers, France — Antibes Basket Club defeated Poitiers Basket 86 with a score of 82-76 in a tense match at the Arena on Friday. Key players Yempalou Palo and Bathiste Tchouaffé starred in the final moments, showcasing their skills and determination.
Bathiste Tchouaffé scored 14 points in the last quarter alone, contributing significantly to Antibes’ success on their home soil. Reflecting on the game, Tchouaffé said, “This match was quite strange. We had many open shots but struggled to find our rhythm. Recently, we’ve put in a lot of work on ourselves. In the locker room, we didn’t panic. We stayed mentally strong. It feels good to win here, and we’re on a nice run.”
The match intensity escalated in the fourth quarter, with Tchouaffé’s steady performance cementing the victory. He explained the importance of a crucial corner shot, saying, “I wasn’t hitting well earlier in the game. But it’s vital to keep your confidence. Poitiers’ defense offers plenty of spaces for a player like me. It was frustrating to miss shots I normally make, but that shot felt good for the whole team. It also symbolizes our maturity as a group.”
The match held extra significance as Poitiers celebrated Luka Rupnik, who announced his retirement at the end of the season. The crowd applauded and chanted his name as heartfelt messages poured in from around the world, including one from NBA star Luka Doncic. Rupnik, visibly emotional, remarked, “This means a lot to me; I really didn’t expect this.” However, he quickly shifted focus, stating, “It’s not finished. We’ll come back and do everything to go far in this season’s ending.”
Despite Rupnik’s impressive influence, Poitiers struggled overall. Coach Andy Thornton-Jones lamented the team’s performance, commenting, “Tonight, I didn’t recognize my team. The players didn’t seem focused, perhaps feeling pressure related to playoff implications.” Throughout the game, Poitiers led at times, even stretching their advantage to six points at one stage, but ultimately faltered under pressure.
According to Coach Thornton-Jones, “We had opportunities to win, but we were too fragile. Our execution wasn’t good. While we didn’t play our best, Antibes also posed challenges for us.” The seasoned Antibes team adopted a rough playing style, pushing Poitiers to their limits, resulting in players like Jahvon Blair facing disciplinary issues due to frustrations during the match.
Even with setbacks, Poitiers kept the score close and maintained hope until the final minute, trailing by only one point. However, Palo and Tchouaffé’s collective scoring — tallying 24 of the 30 points in the fourth quarter — denied them the win. Ultimately, Poitiers fell to Antibes, 82-76, but there remains hope for further success this season, as assured by Rupnik.
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