Entente Sportive du Bruilhois secured a narrow 74-68 victory over JIL Colayrac in a fiercely contested Pré-Nationale Masculine aglomeration derby in Colayrac, overcoming an intense second-half push from the hosts through clinical perimeter shooting and steady execution at the free-throw line.
A Battle of Attrition on the Colayrac Hardwood
The lone derby of the season in Poule B lived up to its billing as Colayrac and ES Le Bruilhois traded blows from the opening tip. Local supporters packed the stands to witness the physical clash, where early defensive intensity set a bruising tone. Ralle answered an opening score for the hosts with a deep perimeter strike, signaling an aggressive night from beyond the arc. A brief computer malfunction halted play, but once the table officials resolved the technical glitch, ESB caught fire from long range. Despite missing a few early uncontested looks around the rim, Colayrac leaned on brute force inside the paint to claw back, trailing just 18-15 after ten minutes of action.
The second quarter offered little separation as both units executed their offensive sets with high engagement. Baskets came in rapid transitions at both ends of the floor, keeping the packed arena fully invested. At halftime, ladepeche.fr reported that ES Le Bruilhois maintained a razor-thin 31-30 advantage, leaving the outcome entirely undecided heading into the locker rooms.
Momentum Swings and Third-Quarter Stalemate
Out of the break, ESB camped heavily in opposition territory, dominating the offensive glass without always converting second-chance opportunities. Vincenzi answered with a timely triple for JILC, before Chevalier slashed through the defensive seams to draw a foul, convert the field goal, and sink the bonus free throw to level the score at 37-37. Momentum swung wildly when ESB’s Polloni buried back-to-back triples to reclaim a 45-39 lead.
Colayrac refused to fold, orchestrating an immediate counter-punch. Molinié ignited the home crowd with two unassisted solo raids through the defense before exploiting a lapse in defensive coverage to net another perimeter shot. Fournier quickly mirrored the effort, pulling JILC level at 47-47. By the end of the third period, Colayrac had nudged ahead 50-48, setting the stage for a volatile final stanza.
Tension, Injury, and Late-Game Execution
The fourth quarter opened with a decisive 9-0 run by ES Le Bruilhois, fueled by sloppy Colayrac ball-handling that translated into easy transition baskets. Frustrations boiled over as the Colayrac coach picked up a technical foul for contesting officiating decisions, closely followed by a technical assessed against Polloni. The temperature of the derby reached a boiling point in the 34th minute when ESB’s Diaby collapsed to the floor in visible distress with a knee injury, requiring assistance from teammates to reach the bench.
Play resumed with the visitors holding a 63-57 cushion with three minutes remaining. Nicolas Laulan’s Colayrac side mounted one final surge when Molinié struck from deep to close the gap to 63-61. But Ralle slammed the door shut, converting two consecutive possessions down the stretch to secure the win for ESB.
Both squads now enter a recovery window designed to heal bumps and bruises before the championship resumes on November 7. ES Le Bruilhois will travel to face Haut-Mauco, while JIL Colayrac returns home to host Cenon.
