Basketball: CBC secures its fifth win of the season and protects its undefeated record

The game started neck-and-neck, leaving spectators wondering if this would become a new pattern for the team. Both of the CBC’s previous season games went into extra time and their cup victories were similarly snatched from the jaws of defeat. It seemed that fans might be in for another nail-biter as Caen trailed by 3 points at the end of the first quarter. A buzzer-beater by Tyler Thomas increased a small lead at the end of the half, and the team continued to pull ahead in the third and fourth quarters.

The match against Hyères-Toulon marks Caen’s first win of the season by more than 4 points.

A strong game for Antoine Rojewski

Antoine Rojewski came out the MVP of the game. With 17 points in just over 20 minutes of playing time, he was the top scorer across both teams. Rojewski now ranks as the CBC’s third-highest points-per-game average of the season, just beating out last week’s MVP, Leo DeBruhl.

Caen’s strong start to the season is certainly a feather in the cap of coach Jean-Baptiste Lecrosnier, who took over from Stéphane Eberlin halfway through the 2025/2026 season. Whilst Caen narrowly avoided relegation back to Nationale 1 with a 13-25 record then, the team’s undefeated run so far promises a brighter future and a more secure spot in Élite 2.

More optimistic fans may even be crossing their fingers for a playoff spot.

New challenges brought on by recent FIBA rule change

Despite the victory, a recent change to the FIBA rulebook has not come without its growing pains for Caen and Hyères-Toulon. The October 1st update replaced the unsportsmanlike foul with either a disruptive or flagrant foul. Now, when a player makes an illegal move without going for the ball, it is called a disruptive foul. Since the new rule’s implementation, it has become clear throughout FIBA matches that some manoeuvres that would previously have been called personal fouls (making them key to some teams’ defensive tactics) fall into this new category.

During Friday’s match, both coach Lecrosnier and HTV coach Stéphane Dumas were more than a little frustrated when the opposition was suddenly awarded two free throws in addition to maintaining possession, as usual. The CBC’s ability to adjust to this new regulation better and faster than their opponents may determine their future success as the season progresses.

Caen is set to face Vichy (ranked 11th in the league with a record of 1-2) on Friday (16th October) at the team’s Palais des Sports Pierre Coulon.