Cholet Grind Out 85-79 Win Over ÉB Pau-Orthez

Cholet Basket opened their Ligue Nationale de Basket Pro A campaign with a hard-fought 85-79 victory over Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez at a lively La Meilleraie on October 11, 2026. The home side led for much of the contest but had to withstand a determined Pau-Orthez surge in the fourth quarter before sealing the win from the free-throw line.

Match Overview

Cholet controlled the tempo early, building a 22-18 lead after the first quarter behind sharp ball movement and aggressive drives. Pau-Orthez responded in the second period, cutting the deficit to 45-40 at halftime. The third quarter remained tight, with Cholet holding a 64-60 advantage heading into the final frame. A decisive 10-2 run early in the fourth gave the hosts enough cushion to hold on.

Quarter scores: Cholet 22-23-19-21 — 85; Pau-Orthez 18-22-20-19 — 79.

Key Moments

With just over six minutes remaining and Cholet leading 72-68, guard T.J. Campbell drilled a step-back three that sparked the decisive run. Moments later, Vafessa Fofana converted an and-one dunk that brought the crowd to its feet and pushed the lead to double digits. Pau-Orthez refused to fold, getting back-to-back triples from Axel Bouteille to make it a five-point game with 1:12 left, but Cholet went 6-for-6 from the foul line down the stretch to ice the victory.

Tactical Story

Cholet’s coaching staff opted for a compact zone defense that dared Pau-Orthez to shoot from the perimeter. The strategy worked: the visitors finished just 8-of-29 from beyond the arc and struggled to generate clean looks inside against the size of Miralem Halilovic. On the offensive end, Cholet attacked the rim relentlessly, scoring 42 points in the paint and earning 24 free-throw attempts. Pau-Orthez tried to counter with a small-ball lineup in the third quarter, which briefly increased their pace, but they were out-rebounded 42-35 overall, conceding 13 offensive boards.

Standout Players

• Cholet: T.J. Campbell finished with 22 points and 7 assists, controlling the game in crunch time. Vafessa Fofana added 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Miralem Halilovic posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards.
• Pau-Orthez: Justin Robinson led the visitors with 20 points and 5 assists. Gavin Ware contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds, and Axel Bouteille chipped in 12 points, including two late threes that kept the game alive.

Season Impact

The win gives Cholet an important early-season confidence boost as they look to establish themselves in the upper half of the Pro A standings. For Pau-Orthez, the loss highlights a need to improve their road offense and perimeter shooting. Both teams will continue their league schedules next week, with Cholet aiming to build momentum and Pau-Orthez searching for a response on home soil.