« There’s character »: Guillaume Vizade reflects on the battle between Le Mans and Paris

Le Mans Sarthe Basket achieved a precious and symbolic success Monday evening at Antarès. Against a weakened but dangerous Paris Basketball, Le Mans managed to make the difference in the final minutes. After this hard-fought duel, the reactions collected by Le Maine Libre well illustrate the two faces of the match: Le Mans’ satisfaction on one side, Paris’s frustration on the other.

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Gabriel Pantel-Jouve

Vizade: « We held on, there’s character in this team »

Smiling but lucid, Guillaume Vizade gave a balanced analysis after the game. The Le Mans coach appreciated how his team responded to Paris’s pressure: « We started better and finished better (…). In the middle of the game, they pushed us around, roughed us up, they put pressure on the ball. But we held on, and some numbers are going in the right direction. »

The coach particularly highlighted MSB’s defensive consistency, able to dominate in the paint (46 points to 24) and intercept 17 balls, synonymous with renewed rhythm. The Clermont native also praised the intensity increase from his key players: « There’s character and players showed the example like (Will) Yeguete or (Travante) Williams. »

« What had weight throughout the game is that we managed to impact near the rim »

The reaction of Guillaume Vizade at the press conference ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zguCvBmx4M

— MSB_Officiel 🦁 (@MSB_Officiel) October 7, 2025

Beyond the victory, he mainly retains the progress of a group under construction: « Already having two victories in the championship given our schedule is very positive. »

Berhanemeskel: solidarity as a driving force

Decisive in the fourth quarter, Johnny Berhanemeskel had a successful first game at Antarès. The Canadian guard emphasized the collective strength of a group that never gave up: « We all pushed each other, including in difficult moments, and we found solutions as a team. (…) It’s always hard when you can’t find your shot, but we all trust each other and that helps to bounce back. »

🤯 42 points out of Le Mans’ 91!

Trevor Hudgins x Johnny Berhanemeskel: 2 of France’s best shooters. #BetclicELITE pic.twitter.com/rGge4e3kdE

— Betclic ELITE (@Betclic_ELITE) September 26, 2025

His offensive contribution, alongside Trevor Hudgins (22 points), was crucial in MSB’s late-game comeback.

Johnny BERHANEMESKEL

16

PTS

2

REB

1

AST

Mbaye: « We must learn from this type of game »

Disappointed but respectful, Amath M’Baye acknowledged Le Mans’ superiority in key moments: « We didn’t make enough decisive plays on offense and defense when we should have, it cost us the game. » The Bordeaux-born forward nonetheless highlighted the quality of their opponent: « We know Le Mans is a very serious and well-coached opponent, congratulations to them. »

For Paris, beaten for the second time by MSB this season start, the game must serve as a reference point: « We must learn from all this, » concluded Mbaye, focused on the upcoming schedule, like the Sarthe team who continue with a trip to Serbia, for their first BCL game of the 2025-2026 season, this Wednesday October 8 in Subotica.