Nanterre surprises Chalon with successful Betclic ELITE opener
Expected to build on their strong 2024-2025 season finish and BCL qualification, Élan Chalon stumbled in their first Betclic ELITE game against Nanterre (78-86) this Tuesday, September 30 at the Colisée.
Élan Chalon, fresh off their BCL preliminary round successes, saw their explosive offense stifled by a rock-solid Paris region defense. Julien Mahé’s squad led almost wire-to-wire, with balanced scoring and strong rebounding work.
Colisée cooled down by Nanterre’s defense
Chalon supporters were hoping for another offensive showcase, but Nanterre quickly dampened their enthusiasm. Julien Mahé’s team won three quarters out of four, forcing Élan into poor outside shooting (1/16 from 3-point range in the first half, 7/31 overall).
In a generally controlled game, eight Nanterre players finished with at least 10 points or 12 in evaluation. Benjamin Sene (16 points) set the tone, well supported by Mathis Dossou-Yovo (12 points), Roko Prkacin (11 points) and Jeremy Senglin (11 points). Young Hugo Yimga-Moukouri (17 years old) also scored his first Betclic ELITE points (10).
Chalon inaccurate and frustrated
For Chalon, Jeremiah Hill tried to spark a comeback (16 points, but 0/7 from 3-point range), supported by Cuthbertson (15 points) and Mutts (11 points). But success was elusive, despite clear dominance on the offensive glass before halftime (13 rebounds in the first period).
Elric Delord even received a double technical foul in crunch time, under ironic chants from the crowd. « We really gave it our all, we can’t blame ourselves, » says the Périgord coach in his post-game debrief. « With average shooting efficiency, we could have won. »
Nos chalonnais s’inclinent sur cette 1ère journée ! Rendez-vous samedi 11 octobre contre Saint Quentin Basket Ball !
📊 Hill 16, Cuthbertson 15, Mutts 11, Gaudoux 10, Darling 7, Leray 5, Nadolny 4, Choupas 3, Leray 2, Tonnellier 2
📸 Charlotte Geoffray#RougeEtBlanc pic.twitter.com/NNIs5FaXxE
— Elan Chalon (@ELANCHALON) September 30, 2025
A strong signal sent by Nanterre
In his first official game as Nanterre’s head coach, Julien Mahé secures a prestigious victory. The game identity is clear: defensive intensity, high tempo, and threats from everywhere. This should boost confidence for a team looking to return to the top of Betclic ELITE after a challenging 2024-2025 season.
Chalon, meanwhile, will need to bounce back quickly after this setback, starting next round, to avoid seeing their Top 4 ambitions fade from the start.
Une victoire de caractère pour entamer cette nouvelle saison ! 😤💪
Nos Nanterriens s’imposent 78 à 86 sur le terrain de l’@ELANCHALON et se préparent au mieux avant la réception du @BCMBasket ce samedi à la maison. pic.twitter.com/5LoLVRVizb
— Nanterre 92 (@Nanterre92) September 30, 2025
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