Despite being crowned the French champions and fresh from their Supercup triumph, Tours VB faced a rigorous challenge in their opening match of the Marmara SpikeLigue against Saint-Jean-d’Illac, a newly-promoted team. The fierce competition took place at the Palais des sports Robert-Grenon, where the newcomers exhibited sheer audacity, pushing the reigning champions to a tight tie-break before conceding.
Tours’ standout players, Aboubacar Dramé Neto and Antoine Pothron, played pivotal roles in clinching the victory, scoring 17 and 16 points respectively. Neto’s performance was particularly notable with a 41% attack success rate, complemented by 4 aces and 2 blocks.
On the other hand, Saint-Jean-d’Illac showcased commendable teamwork and skill. Spearheaded by Lukas Lilembo, who secured 17 points, followed closely by Augustin Guérin and Daryl Bultor contributing 13 and 12 points respectively, the team managed to keep Tours on their toes throughout the match. After a grueling 2 hours and 33 minutes of play, the debutants marked their top-tier initiation with their first championship point.
