Nantes defeats Caen in thrilling preseason game

The Nantes Hermine Basket secured a victory against Caen Basket Calvados (74-72) on Saturday August 23, 2025 in a friendly match. In front of a large crowd in Neuvy-en-Mauges, Rémy Valin’s players confirmed their good collective form despite significant absences in their roster.

A balanced duel from start to finish

Nantes started strong thanks to Jean-Fabrice Dossou‘s shooting accuracy (18 points on 8/9 shooting) and Dylan Van Eyck’s activity (14 points) reports Ouest-France. Quickly ahead (20-11), Nantes saw Caen catch up behind Marc-Eddy Norelia (14 points, 2 offensive rebounds) and Kentan Facey. At halftime, CBC held a narrow lead (42-45).

The second half confirmed the intensity of the duel. Both teams traded blows, with the score remaining tight (50-50). More aggressive defensively, Nantes regained the lead but was caught up in the final moments. It took until the last 20 seconds and a missed shot by Kevin Koné for Nantes to definitively seal the victory.

Rémy Valin satisfied with team cohesion

Without his guards Mathis Kangudia and Kyle Riddley, the top scorers from the first game, Rémy Valin appreciated the solidarity shown by his group:

« I’ve seen real cohesion in this group since the beginning of training. The most important thing is solidarity. Today, we juggled playing time and gave minutes to Maxime Carrio, a young prospect who had never played pro before. I liked the passing game, as well as the desire to defend in the final possessions, » explained the Nantes coach to Ouest-France.

Key stats

• Nantes: Dossou 18 points, Van Eyck 14, Bourhis 13, Boum 9

• Caen: Norelia 14 points, Briki 12, Chambers 10, Flosse 10

A character-building success that ideally launches Hermine’s preparation, following their victory a few days earlier against Les Sables-d’Olonne (93-75).