Cholet defeated Hapoel Holon 99-79 in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, extending their winning streak at home and here's the thing — the visitors were never really in control after the opening quarter. The result leaves both sides level on three wins from six matches, though Cholet sit third while Hapoel hold second place in the standings.
What stood out immediately was the shooting from beyond the arc. Cholet converted 13 of their 28 three-point attempts, compared to just eight from Hapoel's 32 tries. By then the gap had opened enough that the hosts were chasing shadows rather than setting their own tempo. The difference in efficiency told the story of a match where one side found the range and the other did not.
Cholet also dominated on the boards, pulling down 32 rebounds to Hapoel's 25. The visitors secured 24 defensive rebounds while Hapoel could only manage 18, meaning the hosts struggled to keep possessions alive. And here's the thing about second-chance points — when you concede offensive rebounds consistently, the scoreboard reflects that quickly enough.
Ball movement favoured the visitors too, with Cholet recording 20 assists against Hapoel's 15. Turnovers were relatively even at 19 for the hosts and 17 for the visitors, but the quality of chances created told a different tale. Hapoel attempted more shots overall but couldn't match the conversion rate of a side that seemed to find space more easily.
Both teams arrive at this result with identical records — three wins and three losses from six games. Hapool had won their previous outing 87-85 against Hapoel Eilat, while Cholet beat Nancy 85-76 on Saturday. To be fair, neither side has shown consistency yet, and this match suggests both still have questions to answer before the group stage settles.
The goal difference now sits at -20 for Hapoel Holon and +23 for Cholet, a gap that matters little in a competition where every game counts equally. What remains is whether either side can string together a run of results, or if this pattern of mixed performances will define their campaign so far.
