Chalons-Reims — Denain-Voltaire: 55:80, Pro B

Denain-Voltaire beat Châlons-Reims 80 to 55 in the Pro B on Thursday night. The away side dominated from the opening minutes and never let the hosts back into the contest. It was a convincing result for the visitors who had already beaten Châlons earlier this season.

Both sides sit in the middle of the table. Châlons-Reims are ninth with 21 wins from 38 games, while Denain-Voltaire occupy tenth place with 20 victories. The gap between them is negligible — one win and nothing more separates two teams fighting for stability.

Châlons-Reims had looked sharp in their last outing, edging Orléans 88 to 84. But that momentum evaporated quickly. Denain-Voltaire, who had won at Blois on Wednesday, showed they can string results together when it matters.

We had tipped the hosts for victory with 54 per cent confidence. The match went the other way, and the turning point came early. Denain-Voltaire established a lead that Châlons-Reims never found a way back into.

The result leaves Châlons-Reims on 42 points and Denain-Voltaire on 40. Both clubs remain in the thick of the mid-table battle, where every game carries weight. The table goes out of the window in these encounters — points matter less than momentum.