FRA - Pro B teams cause upset in cup

LORIENT (Coupe de France) - There will definitely be a Pro B team in the final of the Coupe de France after Antibes and Nanterre caused shocks at the competition's quarter-finals stage.

Antibes, second from bottom in the French second tier, claimed a 74-71 overtime success over Cholet in Lorient on Tuesday.

Hours later, Nanterre, who are second in Pro B, surprised Pro A high-fliers Chalon 65-56 to set up a semi-final meeting with Antibes.

There were wins for Pau-Orthez and Strasbourg in the other two quarter-finals, which were held in Clermont-Ferrand, and they will meet in the other semi.

The two last-four clashes will take place on Wednesday night.

Antibes had to come back from a 38-24 half-time deficit to force overtime on Tuesday night, and their star player Yann Mollinari admitted: "We really defended badly at the start of the match.

"We were there to enjoy ourselves but we definitely started with the hand brake on."

But the underdogs recovered well and an 18-6 run in the third quarter got them back in the game, before they turned the tide in overtime.

Mollinari had an impressive 15 points, but he was outshone by Fred N'Kembe (21 points and six rebounds).

Steffon Bradford was the stellar performer for Nanterre, the center pouring in 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds for the Pro B outfit, who pulled away in the fourth to stun Chalon.

Chalon coach Gregor Beugnot said: "My players perhaps began to doubt themselves having seen the exit of Cholet.

"We really tried to find the gaps and get going, but we could not do anything."

Pau-Orthez thrashed 2005 champions BCM Gravelines 98-66, Cedric Ferchaud draining five from eight from three-point territory for the winners to finish with 19
points.

Strasbourg needed overtime before eliminating fellow Pro A side Clermont 77-71.

Steve Douglas
FIBA