Despite the victory of Orléans Loiret Basket 90 to 87 against Gravelines-Dunkerque, the Loiretains are relegated to Pro B. A victory on their part combined with a defeat for Fos-sur-Mer at ESSM Le Portel would have allowed them to to maintain. Only this is not the case. After a controlled match, the Fosséens completely broke down in the last quarter and found themselves tied 0.5 seconds from the end. A disputed whistle and technical foul by Nicolas Maestre on Mathieu Wojciechowski later, and Fos-sur-Mer found themselves on the free-throw line and eventually won 83-79. An unlikely scenario commented on by Germain Castano, OLB coach:
“It wasn’t enough. That’s also the problem when you depend on others. Last week (against Champagne Basket), it wasn’t the case but I think that because of that famous first half (-20), we came here depending on others. Even if all week I heard “logically, logically”, in high-level sport there is no logic. It’s an irrational season. It will be so until the end. There is an equalizing basket at Portel and then after there is a whistle, I don’t know what to tell you. It was written, given how it was. happens.
I wasn’t in the locker room, I was outside, I was waiting. We heard a reaction from the players during the 3-point shot to equalize. And afterwards, you saw this scenario which is still incredible. Putting a technical foul 0.5 seconds from the end, I think these referees don’t even know the situation. To whistle this foul, you decide what will happen. There, there are people who play their jobs and there are people who will lose their jobs. So this technical fault you do not put it. They take a shot at 3 or 2-point to win, congratulations it’s like that but you don’t give them a free throw to win. But hey, I’m going to stop there because afterwards we’re going to say that I’m starting to find excuses. But let the players decide who goes down. If Fos wins in overtime, there it is not the same. It’s dramatic. We, there are guys who are going to lose their jobs. Me, maybe, my staff, we will lose our job. After the Germain Castano case, I don’t give a damn tonight, what interests me is the OLB. I’m sad for OLB and OLB lovers.”
And after trying to explain what could have happened, Germain Castano returned to the club itself and his love for it:
“I’m going to have a big thought, because I’m sad, for all the people of Orleans, who love the OLB, like me. The public, the people who made the trip this evening, all those people there who are in love with the “OLB, who were dressed in white last Tuesday. And the second thought is for all the employees of the club. I’m sad for these people because we didn’t save the furniture, we could save our very average season with a game. It fell on the wrong side. On this end of the season, there is no normal game. A buzzer, two extensions, an extension, a defeat on the buzzer, a technical foul at 0.5 seconds , I don’t know what to tell you. We’re a bit knocked out.”
He nevertheless wanted to add that he had certain explanations as to the course of the season, which took his club to relegation. However, he did not expand on the subject.
“It’s been hard but I have explanations. I have things to tell you but I don’t think it’s the right time. There are things to say but it would be out of place to talk about them now. J I have the symptoms of a sad man so I prefer not to venture into a path that I will not take. But we will have time to talk about it.