French NM1 Preview: Lorient at Le Havre

LE HAVRE, France (Interstat) — Le Havre hosts Lorient on Friday at Salle des Docks Oceane in a French NM1 matchup featuring two teams heading in opposite directions.

Le Havre (32-8) enters as one of the league’s top sides, while Lorient (21-16) seeks to build consistency after a mixed stretch in which it has lost four of its last seven games across all competitions. The teams last met March 27, when Le Havre won 85-74 at Lorient.

Le Havre forward Marc Gosselin will be a key player to watch. The 19-year-old posted 16 points and seven rebounds in a 60-57 loss at Levallois on April 26, and tallied eight points and seven rebounds in an 82-80 win against Toulouse Basket on April 21. Gosselin has been a steady presence inside for a team that has won six of its last nine games.

Lorient will rely on guard Kevin Franceschi, who has been productive recently. Franceschi played 31 minutes and scored 23 points with two rebounds and three assists in an 78-70 win against Boulogne on April 26. He added 13 points in a 77-64 loss at Mulhouse on April 21, and scored 18 points in an 87-79 overtime win against Fos Provence on April 3.

Le Havre comes off a narrow 60-57 defeat at Levallois. Kevin Bercy contributed 10 points and nine rebounds in that game, while S. Cayol added seven points, five rebounds and six assists.

Lorient’s most recent result was the victory against Boulogne, in which Parfait Njiba scored 11 points with seven rebounds and Maxime Choplin added 15 points.

The game tips off at an undetermined time. Lorient’s next game is against Berck Rang on May 5. Le Havre travels to Sables Vendee on the same date.