Rennes secured a 79-70 victory over Fougères in the French Cup on Tuesday evening. The hosts held on for the win despite a spirited second-half push from their visitors. It was the kind of tight contest where every possession mattered, and Rennes managed to keep their composure when it counted.
By then, Rennes had already established some momentum from their recent form. They came into this fixture buoyed by an 89-73 win over Quimper, though that followed a narrow 91-92 defeat to Nantes. Fougères, meanwhile, had shown attacking intent with a 93-77 victory against Laval but also carried the baggage of that heavy 70-92 loss to Blois.
And here's the thing about games like this — the scoreline doesn't always tell the full story. Rennes had been inconsistent of late, dropping 116 points to Nancy in one of their previous outings. Fougères had their own struggles, losing 82-63 away to Poitiers. But on this night, Rennes found the right balance between attack and defence.
To be fair, Fougères didn't go down without a fight. They had shown enough in their 83-72 win over Lorient to suggest they could trouble established sides. Their 78-79 defeat to Nantes had been particularly close, just a single point adrift. That energy carried through, keeping the contest within reach for long stretches.
Rennes' experience in these knockout fixtures told in the end. They had the deeper squad, as they often do, and managed to see out the game without panic. The victory keeps them alive in the Cup, though the road ahead remains uncertain given their recent inconsistency.
