The final bracket for Betclic ELITE promotion playoffs
May 20, 2025
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve
Le Portel begins relegation battle at Roanne, Eric Girard’s final challenges
Betclic ELITE - Before leaving his position as ESSM's coach, Eric Girard prepares to tackle "one of the biggest challenges" of his career: saving Le Portel's place in Betclic ELITE, starting with a playoff quarter-final at Roanne this Tuesday evening.
Photo Credit : ESSM Le Portel
Eric Girard is playing his final matches as Le Portel’s head coach. Before stepping down after thirteen years on the Opal Coast, the coach will try to keep ESSM in Betclic ELITE through an unprecedented playoff format, beginning with an away game at Roanne this Tuesday evening (8pm).
🚨 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 ‼️
⚡ @PROB_officiel, Quarter-final, game 1
🆚 @ChoraleRoanne
🏟️ Halle André Vacheresse, Roanne
🕗 20h00
📺 https://t.co/1jgQtGpGS4 pic.twitter.com/PcbdvZRjEz— ESSM Le Portel (@ESSMbasket) May 20, 2025
An unprecedented format, a path full of obstacles
A year ago, Le Portel was facing Monaco in the playoffs. This season, the context is radically different. Second-to-last in the regular season (8 wins, 22 losses), the northern club must now go through a playoff tournament against Pro B teams. This unprecedented system features best-of-three series, but crucially without home court advantage for the Betclic Elite team against teams ranked between 2nd and 5th place in the lower division.
« It’s incomprehensible, » sighs Eric Girard in La Voix du Nord. « Everything has been done to favor the lower division team. If there’s a deciding game, it will be played in Roanne. » Indeed, the quarter-final against Chorale, fifth in Pro B, begins this Tuesday at the Halle Vacheresse.
The most difficult mission of his career?
The path to survival looks titanic: up to nine games to play in just over three weeks, including six away games. « The challenge we face this year will undoubtedly be one of the biggest challenges of my entire career, » says the coach, determined to end his Portel adventure on a positive note. « I hope the players will be eager to show they belong at the elite level. »
To prepare for this crucial series, Le Portel finished the regular season with a convincing victory against Nanterre (90-70). « We won convincingly, » says the coach, who saw encouraging signs, particularly through the integration of recruits Cassius Stanley and Aaron Levarity, who came to compensate for injuries to Dondre Burns and Ivan Février.
Refocusing on defensive DNA
Despite a season plagued by injuries and reshuffling, Eric Girard calls for a fresh start. « There have been so many changes this season that we can’t rely too much on that. The only thing we can count on is what we were able to do defensively for three-quarters of the season. »
This philosophy, the foundation of ESSM’s best seasons under his leadership, will be tested starting this Tuesday. It’s time for general mobilization at the Chaudron, where the return match will be played on Friday. If a deciding game is necessary, it will be played in Roanne next Tuesday.
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