Le Mans vs. Unicaja - ShowGame - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL

May 20, 2013

Regular Season Game 6 - December 03, 2008 CET: 20:30 Local time: 20:30 - ANTARES

Le Mans 55 - 87 Unicaja

REGULAR SEASON, GAME 6

GROUP A

GROUP B

GROUP C

GROUP D

Records

Ave.		Ave.
0-0	Final Four	0-0
0-0	Playoffs	0-0
0-0	Top 16	0-0
0-5	Regular Season	3-2
0-5	Overall	3-2

Referees

Crew Chief

PUKL,SASA, Slovenia

Referee

DOZAI, SRDAN, Croatia

Umpire

ANASTOPOULOS, PANAGIOTIS, Greece

Team Stats

Ave.		Ave.
75.8	Points	76.6
27.8	Rebounds	31.4
10.4	O. Rebounds	10.6
17.4	D. Rebounds	20.8
12.4	Assists	15.0
11.2	Steals	7.8
2.6	Blocks	3.4
12.2	Turnovers	13.2
45.1 %	2PT	54.7 %
38.3 %	3PT	31.3 %
76.3 %	FT	73.1 %
70.6	Index	86.6

Team Stats - Le Mans

Team Stats - Unicaja

Player Stats

Ave.		Ave.
14.6 / BLU, DAVID	Points	13.4 / Ndong
6.6 / Koffi	Rebounds	6.0 / Ndong
2.4 / Koffi	OR	2.2 / Ndong
4.2 / Koffi	DR	3.8 / Ndong
3.2 / CHASE, BRIAN	Assists	5.6 / Cook
2.2 / CHASE, BRIAN	Steals	1.4 / Kelati
1.4 / Koffi	Blocks	1.4 / ARCHIBALD, ROBERT
2.6 / CHASE, BRIAN	Turnovers	3.5 / Cabezas
61.2 % / Batista	2PT	88.9 % / JIMENEZ, CARLOS
50.0 % / BLU, DAVID	3PT	44.4 % / Welsch
100.0 % / DIOT, ANTOINE	FT	100.0 % / HAISLIP, MARCUS
15.0 / BLU, DAVID	Index	15.8 / ARCHIBALD, ROBERT

Team Roster - Le Mans

Team Roster - Unicaja

THE TAKE

A critical game awaits in Group A, as Le Mans hosts injury-plagued Unicaja on Wednesday night. Le Mans is looking for its first win of the season, even though, incredibly enough, it has lost all its games by 5 points or less, registering overtime defeats against Maccabi Electra and Olympiacos. Meanwhile, Unicaja is third in the group at 3-2 and its second consecutive road win would get the team closer to the Top 16. Unicaja unregistered Alfonso Sanchez and has four key players –Carlos Cabezas, Berni Rodriguez, Marcus Haislip and German Gabriel - sidelined. Cabezas could play against Le Mans, however, as he has returned to practice recently. If Cabezas remains out, Omar Cook will be his team's full-time point guard against Le Mans, with combo guard Joseph Gomis and youngster Rai Lopez backing him up. Cook is ready for an interesting battle against Brian Chase and Antoine Diot, who may also share playing time on court. Unicaja must be concerned with slowing Dewarick Spencer, who has averaged 22.5 points in the last two games. Spencer will be complemented by athletic forward Maleye Ndoye and experienced shooting ace David Bluthenthal. Spencer will test his scoring skills against Thomas Kelati, who comes off a very strong game against Maccabi. Jiri Welsch will see minute at both wing spots against Spencer, while Carlos Jimenez is ready to battle against Ndoye. Le Mans is solid around the baskets, as Bluthenthal's three-pointers open the court for Alain Koffi, Pape Badiane and Joao Paulo Batista in coach J.D. Jackson's eight-man rotation. Unicaja is missing some firepower without Haislip and Gabriel, but inked Paul Shirley to a one-month deal. Shirley is ready to offer size, experience and the occasional three-pointer. Boniface Ndong and Robert Archibald will have a tough physical battle against the entire Le Mans frontcourt, with Vitor Faverani ready to offer help off the bench. Unicaja must get Cook and Haislip involved to keep its options alive. Le Mans must be patient in offense, get Spencer and Bluthenthal involved, as well as locking the defensive board - the hosts are second-last in the Euroleague at just 17.4 boards per game. GAME QUOTES Le Mans After starting the season shooting 2 for 14 from downtown in his opening three games, guard Dewarick Spencer has made 7 of 15 three-pointers in his last two contests, averaging 22.5 points per game in that stretch. Teenager Antoine Diot is spending more time at point guard recently and last week set a Euroleague career high with 6 assists. Forward David Bluthenthal set a career high with 43 minutes played in last week’s overtime loss against Olympiacos. It was the second time in three games that Bluthenthal has played more than 40 minutes. He currently leads the Euroleague in minutes played this season with 38:24 per game. Unicaja Swingman Jiri Welsch needs just 3 more steals to reach 100 for his Euroleague Basketball career. Center Boniface NDong has scored in double figures in all five games so far this season. Last year, he reached double figures only six times in 19 appearances. Unicaja big man Paul Shirley will make his Euroleague debut if he sees action in Wednesday’s game at Le Mans. Shirley is as well-known for his off-court activities, including his ESPN blog and working on a television pilot based on his basketball career, as he is for his on-court abilities. Tuesday, December 02, 2008 Euroleague.net

A critical game awaits in Group A, as Le Mans hosts injury-plagued Unicaja on Wednesday night. Le Mans is looking for its first win of the season, even though, incredibly enough, it has lost all its games by 5 points or less, registering overtime defeats against Maccabi Electra and Olympiacos. Meanwhile, Unicaja is third in the group at 3-2 and its second consecutive road win would get the team closer to the Top 16. Unicaja unregistered Alfonso Sanchez and has four key players –Carlos Cabezas, Berni Rodriguez, Marcus Haislip and German Gabriel - sidelined. Cabezas could play against Le Mans, however, as he has returned to practice recently. If Cabezas remains out, Omar Cook will be his team's full-time point guard against Le Mans, with combo guard Joseph Gomis and youngster Rai Lopez backing him up. Cook is ready for an interesting battle against Brian Chase and Antoine Diot, who may also share playing time on court. Unicaja must be concerned with slowing Dewarick Spencer, who has averaged 22.5 points in the last two games. Spencer will be complemented by athletic forward Maleye Ndoye and experienced shooting ace David Bluthenthal. Spencer will test his scoring skills against Thomas Kelati, who comes off a very strong game against Maccabi. Jiri Welsch will see minute at both wing spots against Spencer, while Carlos Jimenez is ready to battle against Ndoye. Le Mans is solid around the baskets, as Bluthenthal's three-pointers open the court for Alain Koffi, Pape Badiane and Joao Paulo Batista in coach J.D. Jackson's eight-man rotation. Unicaja is missing some firepower without Haislip and Gabriel, but inked Paul Shirley to a one-month deal. Shirley is ready to offer size, experience and the occasional three-pointer. Boniface Ndong and Robert Archibald will have a tough physical battle against the entire Le Mans frontcourt, with Vitor Faverani ready to offer help off the bench. Unicaja must get Cook and Haislip involved to keep its options alive. Le Mans must be patient in offense, get Spencer and Bluthenthal involved, as well as locking the defensive board - the hosts are second-last in the Euroleague at just 17.4 boards per game.

GAME QUOTES

Le Mans

After starting the season shooting 2 for 14 from downtown in his opening three games, guard Dewarick Spencer has made 7 of 15 three-pointers in his last two contests, averaging 22.5 points per game in that stretch.
Teenager Antoine Diot is spending more time at point guard recently and last week set a Euroleague career high with 6 assists.
Forward David Bluthenthal set a career high with 43 minutes played in last week’s overtime loss against Olympiacos. It was the second time in three games that Bluthenthal has played more than 40 minutes. He currently leads the Euroleague in minutes played this season with 38:24 per game.

Unicaja

Swingman Jiri Welsch needs just 3 more steals to reach 100 for his Euroleague Basketball career.
Center Boniface NDong has scored in double figures in all five games so far this season. Last year, he reached double figures only six times in 19 appearances.
Unicaja big man Paul Shirley will make his Euroleague debut if he sees action in Wednesday’s game at Le Mans. Shirley is as well-known for his off-court activities, including his ESPN blog and working on a television pilot based on his basketball career, as he is for his on-court abilities.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

JACKSON, JOHN-DAVID Le Mans "We are still in need of a win to give us a chance in the competition. Malaga has a couple injuries and we managed to stay with them in their gym, hopefully this time we can be the team who comes out on top. With Maccabi and Avellino coming to our gym for the return games, we have a chance of catching these two teams if we can win the two games left before facing them, This is our last chance to really believe in an eventual qualification to the Top 16."

JACKSON, JOHN-DAVID

Le Mans

"We are still in need of a win to give us a chance in the competition. Malaga has a couple injuries and we managed to stay with them in their gym, hopefully this time we can be the team who comes out on top. With Maccabi and Avellino coming to our gym for the return games, we have a chance of catching these two teams if we can win the two games left before facing them, This is our last chance to really believe in an eventual qualification to the Top 16."

GARCIA RENESES, AITO Unicaja "The first leg of the regular season was hard. We managed to fix our record thanks to the win in Tel Aviv in a good game. Now we start the second leg and we have to take into account that Le Mans has not won a single game, but they have lost them all by really small margins so we have to praise their qualities. However, despite being in a bad situation injury-wise, I think we still have possibilities to win this game. It will be difficult because they play well. So that menas that, despite having won the last games, we will have to face this duel with maximum concentration."

GARCIA RENESES, AITO

Unicaja

"The first leg of the regular season was hard. We managed to fix our record thanks to the win in Tel Aviv in a good game. Now we start the second leg and we have to take into account that Le Mans has not won a single game, but they have lost them all by really small margins so we have to praise their qualities. However, despite being in a bad situation injury-wise, I think we still have possibilities to win this game. It will be difficult because they play well. So that menas that, despite having won the last games, we will have to face this duel with maximum concentration."

Players

CHASE, BRIAN Le Mans "More than ever, we still need a win. We feel that a first win can change all. We stayed in the five games we played. We failed each time at the end for different reasons, but we still trust that we can do something good. This game means our last chance to keep our hope in the Euroleague."

CHASE, BRIAN

Le Mans

"More than ever, we still need a win. We feel that a first win can change all. We stayed in the five games we played. We failed each time at the end for different reasons, but we still trust that we can do something good. This game means our last chance to keep our hope in the Euroleague."

JIMENEZ, CARLOS Unicaja "When we started the first leg, taking into account that we would have to play three road games, I think everyone would have agreed on the fact that a 3-2 record is not that bad. Maybe the results weren't the most expected ones with our defeat in Avellino and our win in Tel Aviv, but I think that what you are seeing in the last years in the Euroleague, is that you have to secure your home games. Le Mans is a dangerous rival because they have lost their games by few points and I don't know whether we will face a rival that has lowered its arms because it has lost five games, or a team that will show that resistance they have displayed in the games in which they have lost by few points. We are not too confident and we will do our best to win."

JIMENEZ, CARLOS

Unicaja

"When we started the first leg, taking into account that we would have to play three road games, I think everyone would have agreed on the fact that a 3-2 record is not that bad. Maybe the results weren't the most expected ones with our defeat in Avellino and our win in Tel Aviv, but I think that what you are seeing in the last years in the Euroleague, is that you have to secure your home games. Le Mans is a dangerous rival because they have lost their games by few points and I don't know whether we will face a rival that has lowered its arms because it has lost five games, or a team that will show that resistance they have displayed in the games in which they have lost by few points. We are not too confident and we will do our best to win."

Thomas Kelati scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half and Boniface Ndong added 19 points as Unicaja cruised past Le Mans 55-87 on the road in Group A of the Euroleague. Jiri Welsch added 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals and Joseph Gomis collected 12 points and 8 assists for the winners, who improved to 4-2 in Group A. Unicaja forced 20 Le Mans turnovers and held the hosts to 6-of-26 from long range. The Spanish side next week will host Olympiacos. Alain Koffi was the only Le Mans player to score in double figures, collecting 15 points to go along with 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. David Bluthenthal and Brian Chase were next best with 8 points each. Le Mans is still looking for its first victory in falling to 0-6. The French side will next play at Cibona. Kelati scored the first five points of the game and then hit another basket as Unicaja opened with a 0-9 run. Koffi finally got Le Mans onto the scoreboard nearly five minutes into the game. Kelati was on target again and Omar Cook’s three-pointer gave Unicaja a 6-15 advantage. Koffi continued his fine game with a basket and then converted a three-point play and Le Mans was within 11-17. But Welsch started a final 0-6 surge by the guests, which was completed by yet another score from Kelati, who finished the first quarter with 11 points and Unicaja ahead 11-23. Ndong opened the second quarter for the Spanish side and Dewarick Spencer knocked down a triple for Le Mans. But Gomis answered right back with a triple and another basket, giving Unicaja its biggest lead of the game – 16-30. Bluthenthal tried to bring the hosts back into the game, draining back-to-back three balls to make it 22-30. But Ndong scored again and Kelati made his second triple of the game to make it 24-35. Le Mans remained determined and Koffi scored again and was followed by Chase’s long ball and the deficit was trimmed to 29-35. Welsch answered however and Robert Archibald’s dunk gave Unicaja a 29-39 advantage at the break. Welsch gave the guests the start they wanted into the second half with a three-pointer. And Archibald’s two foul shots pushed the advantage to 29-44. The Unicaja defense was very strong and Spencer finally hit Le Mans’s first basket almost five minutes into the third quarter. And Antoine Diot made it 33-44. Kelati was again on target with a long ball before Chase’s triple cut the deficit back to 38-49. Unicaja however turned up the defensive pressure one more time and gave up just one basket over the final 2:30. And Kelati drained another three-pointer and Gomis and Welsch each made two foul shots in a 2-9 closing run to leave Unicaja ahead 40-58 after three periods. Joao Paulo Batista opened the scoring for the hosts in the fourth period but Le Mans went nearly three minutes without a point as Ndong and Welsch combined for nine points in a 0-11 run for a 42-69 lead. Koffi stopped the bleeding but Gomis and Ndong knocked down back-to-back triples and Ndong made another basket to complete a 2-19 push after Batista’s opening basket for a 44-77 lead. Jeremy Leloup hit a three-ball and Pape Badiane made it 51-77. But Paul Shirley and Raimundo Lopez de Vinuesa both drained three-balls in the final stages for Unicaja. Wednesday, December 03, 2008 Euroleague.net

Thomas Kelati scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half and Boniface Ndong added 19 points as Unicaja cruised past Le Mans 55-87 on the road in Group A of the Euroleague. Jiri Welsch added 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals and Joseph Gomis collected 12 points and 8 assists for the winners, who improved to 4-2 in Group A. Unicaja forced 20 Le Mans turnovers and held the hosts to 6-of-26 from long range. The Spanish side next week will host Olympiacos. Alain Koffi was the only Le Mans player to score in double figures, collecting 15 points to go along with 11 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. David Bluthenthal and Brian Chase were next best with 8 points each. Le Mans is still looking for its first victory in falling to 0-6. The French side will next play at Cibona.

Kelati scored the first five points of the game and then hit another basket as Unicaja opened with a 0-9 run. Koffi finally got Le Mans onto the scoreboard nearly five minutes into the game. Kelati was on target again and Omar Cook’s three-pointer gave Unicaja a 6-15 advantage. Koffi continued his fine game with a basket and then converted a three-point play and Le Mans was within 11-17. But Welsch started a final 0-6 surge by the guests, which was completed by yet another score from Kelati, who finished the first quarter with 11 points and Unicaja ahead 11-23.

Alain Koffi - Le Mans

Ndong opened the second quarter for the Spanish side and Dewarick Spencer knocked down a triple for Le Mans. But Gomis answered right back with a triple and another basket, giving Unicaja its biggest lead of the game – 16-30. Bluthenthal tried to bring the hosts back into the game, draining back-to-back three balls to make it 22-30. But Ndong scored again and Kelati made his second triple of the game to make it 24-35. Le Mans remained determined and Koffi scored again and was followed by Chase’s long ball and the deficit was trimmed to 29-35. Welsch answered however and Robert Archibald’s dunk gave Unicaja a 29-39 advantage at the break.

Welsch gave the guests the start they wanted into the second half with a three-pointer. And Archibald’s two foul shots pushed the advantage to 29-44. The Unicaja defense was very strong and Spencer finally hit Le Mans’s first basket almost five minutes into the third quarter. And Antoine Diot made it 33-44. Kelati was again on target with a long ball before Chase’s triple cut the deficit back to 38-49. Unicaja however turned up the defensive pressure one more time and gave up just one basket over the final 2:30. And Kelati drained another three-pointer and Gomis and Welsch each made two foul shots in a 2-9 closing run to leave Unicaja ahead 40-58 after three periods.

Jiri Welsch - Unicaja

Joao Paulo Batista opened the scoring for the hosts in the fourth period but Le Mans went nearly three minutes without a point as Ndong and Welsch combined for nine points in a 0-11 run for a 42-69 lead. Koffi stopped the bleeding but Gomis and Ndong knocked down back-to-back triples and Ndong made another basket to complete a 2-19 push after Batista’s opening basket for a 44-77 lead. Jeremy Leloup hit a three-ball and Pape Badiane made it 51-77. But Paul Shirley and Raimundo Lopez de Vinuesa both drained three-balls in the final stages for Unicaja.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Euroleague.net

Referees: PUKL,SASA (SLO), DOZAI, SRDAN (CRO), ANASTOPOULOS, PANAGIOTIS (GRE)

Attendance: 4350

By Quarter	1	2	3	4
Le Mans	11	18	11	15
Unicaja	23	16	19	29

End of Quarter	1	2	3	4
Le Mans	11	29	40	55
Unicaja	23	39	58	87

Head coach: JACKSON, JOHN-DAVID

Le Mans
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	Rebounds			As	St	To	Bl		Fouls		PIR
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
4	GOMIS, ANTOINE	3:46						1	1						1
5	CHASE, BRIAN	25:31	8	1/2	2/5			2	2	4	2	3			2		7
6	SPENCER, DEWARICK	14:54	5	1/5	1/8		3	1	4			2			3	3	-4
7	KOFFI, ALAIN	30:19	15	7/10		1/1	6	5	11	2	3	4	1	1	2	2	24
8	DIOT, ANTOINE	31:39	5	2/3	0/3	1/2	2	1	3	4		1			3	3	6
9	NDOYE, MALEYE	24:01	5	2/5	0/2	1/2	1		1	1	1	1			1	3	3
10	LELOUP, JEREMY	10:37	5	1/2	1/4		1		1		1			1	1	1	2
11	BATISTA, JOAO PAULO	14:21	2	1/4			1	1	2			4			3	2	-4
12	BADIANE, PAPE	15:53	2	1/3				3	3	2	1	1					5
13	BLU, DAVID	28:59	8	1/6	2/4			4	4	1		4			2	1	1
18	DROUAULT, PIERRE-ETIENNE	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
19	TSONGA, ENZO	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Team							1	1								1
	Totals	200:00	55	17/40	6/26	3/5	14	19	33	14	8	20	1	2	18	15	41
				42.5%	23.1%	60%

Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating

Head coach: GARCIA RENESES, AITO

Unicaja
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	Rebounds			As	St	To	Bl		Fouls		PIR
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG M-A	3FG M-A	FT M-A	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
00	COOK, OMAR	28:46	3		1/2			3	3	5	2	3			2	1	8
4	GOMIS, JOSEPH	22:57	12	1/4	2/4	4/4		2	2	8	2				1	3	21
6	LOPEZ, RAI	4:54	5	1/1	1/1					1		2			2		2
8	CORTABERRIA, JON	9:57	2	1/1	0/1					1					1		1
9	WELSCH, JIRI	23:23	14	3/5	2/3	2/3	3	2	5	3	4	1			2	6	25
12	NDONG, BONIFACE	20:50	19	8/9	1/1		3	4	7		1	2	1		2		23
15	FAVERANI, VITOR	6:22			0/1												-1
19	SHIRLEY, PAUL	18:32	5	1/4	1/2			4	4	2					1	2	8
20	JIMENEZ, CARLOS	24:22		0/1	0/2			3	3	2	2	2			1		1
21	ARCHIBALD, ROBERT	16:58	7	2/5		3/6	1	4	5		1	2	1		2	4	8
23	KELATI, THOMAS	22:59	20	4/5	4/6		1	1	2	1	2	4		1	1	2	18
	Team							4	4								4
	Totals	200:00	87	21/35	12/23	9/13	8	27	35	23	14	16	2	1	15	18	118
				60%	52.2%	69.2%

This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

JACKSON, JOHN-DAVID Le Mans "I am very disapointed with our game tonight. I can't explain why our players didn't play as a team. Our bad start cost us a lot. We tried to come back in the second quarter but at some point we stopped playing. I think that we will see some changes in a few days' time. I hope the team to react next week."

JACKSON, JOHN-DAVID

Le Mans

"I am very disapointed with our game tonight. I can't explain why our players didn't play as a team. Our bad start cost us a lot. We tried to come back in the second quarter but at some point we stopped playing. I think that we will see some changes in a few days' time. I hope the team to react next week."

GARCIA RENESES, AITO Unicaja "It was a surprise to win by 32 points. I saw Le Mans playing very well against all the other teams in this group. We stayed really focused tonight. We have a good philosophy. We were able to win in Tel Aviv despite our many injuries and have to keep working in that direction."

GARCIA RENESES, AITO

Unicaja

"It was a surprise to win by 32 points. I saw Le Mans playing very well against all the other teams in this group. We stayed really focused tonight. We have a good philosophy. We were able to win in Tel Aviv despite our many injuries and have to keep working in that direction."

Players

CHASE, BRIAN Le Mans "We have been in every game except tonight. We know we are a good team but we have to make some adjustments and get back to playing our game. The Euroleague is very tough but we are talented and just have to stay confident and move forward. Unicaja is a very good team but we still have a chance to qualify."

CHASE, BRIAN

Le Mans

"We have been in every game except tonight. We know we are a good team but we have to make some adjustments and get back to playing our game. The Euroleague is very tough but we are talented and just have to stay confident and move forward. Unicaja is a very good team but we still have a chance to qualify."

NDONG, BONIFACE Unicaja "We needed to be focused to win this game, play hard and be strong in defense. We knew we had to play hard. We have a good team and all players know that when they are tired, any of us can ask to go to the bench."

NDONG, BONIFACE

Unicaja

"We needed to be focused to win this game, play hard and be strong in defense. We knew we had to play hard. We have a good team and all players know that when they are tired, any of us can ask to go to the bench."

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France: CANAL +	Israel: CHARLTON SPORT 1
Spain: TVE TDP	Internet: EUROLEAGUE.TV
Greece: NOVASPORTS 4