Andrew
Online Reporter
Zimbabwe international basketball player, Vitalis Chikoko, posted 20 points and 11 rebounds – albeit on a losing note – as his French club, Pau-Orthez went down 83-93 to Cholet at the La Meilleraie Arena on Saturday.
It was the former champions’ fifth loss in a row, a result that sees them drop down to 17th position in the French Pro A League
Pau-Orthez currently have a record of 2-6 (two wins and six losses) from their first eight games of the season, with only Strasbourg’s 1-7 worse off.
Chikoko put up a one-man show, adding two assists to his team-high 20 points and 11 rebounds, while the duo of Gerald Ayayi and Giovan Oniangue chipped in with 15 points each.
This is opposed to Dominic Artis and Terrance Campbell, who chipped in with a game-high 21 points and 16 points, respectively for the home side.
The win pushed the West of France-based side to third on the log standing, with six wins from their opening seven games
The team’s bad start to the 2022/23 French season risks undoing all the work that was put into saving the club from demotion earlier this year.
According to reports from France, the former French champions were almost demoted to the amateur level by the French LNB league due to financial reasons.
Fortunately for them, their shares were then bought by Sebastien Menard, president of the Eat4Good group, who is then believed to have successfully presented his plan to the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) appeal committee.
The Appeals Chamber of the FFBB then decided to reinstate the club in the French LNB.
Control of the club was handed to the American investment fund, Counterpointe Sports Group.
Online Reporter