Chalon briefly harbored hopes of upsetting the Spanish squad when Mathéo Leray sank a three-pointer to tie the game at 65-65 with just under five minutes remaining. However, Malaga quickly reasserted control, pulling ahead to 65-72 and effectively managing the closing minutes. Ultimately, Elan Chalon led for only three minutes during this pivotal match.
Jeremiah Hill led the scoring for the Burgundian team with 20 points, followed by Mathéo Leray with 14 points. Lionel Gaudoux (3 points, 6 rebounds) also made his return after an ankle injury. For Malaga, Nihad Dedovic was the primary offensive force, contributing 18 points.
Coach Elric Delord, speaking to the JSL, emphasized his team’s pride despite their elimination: “When you’re disappointed not to advance from the BCL Top 16, especially with a group that includes Wurzburg (2nd in Germany), Badalona, and Malaga, it means your journey has been commendable. It had been a long time since Chalon competed at this European level. We can be proud of our season. Of course, there’s disappointment because we are competitors, and the further you go, the more you want. I hope that never changes. But we must also look at the overall journey and acknowledge that reaching this stage was a tremendous achievement.”
Elan Chalon will play its final BCL game next Tuesday in Würzburg.
Meanwhile, Le Mans will aim to secure its spot in the quarter-finals this Wednesday at 6:30 PM in Vilnius, Lithuania.
