Le Mans

Player to watch : Jonathan Jeanne

At 5’2″, Jonathan Jeanne is the tallest player in the Betclic ELITE league, and he’s come a long way—a very long way. Hailed as one of France’s top prospects (in both senses of the word), the Guadeloupe native honed his skills at the Pôles France training centers and in Le Mans. And just as the NBA was opening its doors to him, his illness (Marfan syndrome) immediately put an end to his career.

But that was without counting on his resilience. From Spain’s second division, Jonathan Jeanne now plays for one of the top contenders for the championship in France. Ranked second in Pro B for the 2024-2025 season, the center is an extremely mobile player for his size, technically skilled, and gifted with strong aerial abilities. Back home, his journey illustrates his ability to overcome the challenges he faces—a significant asset both on and off the court.

Playing Style

As the leading figure of this new wave of French coaches, Guillaume Vizade relies on a modern style of play to reach the top. A “fast-break basketball” as he calls it, where every player is versatile. While players like Trevor Hudgins and Travante Williams hold the keys to the offense, every player must be a threat on offense. The goal: to create danger everywhere so that opposing defenses cannot afford to focus solely on Le Mans’ top scorers.

Intensity is therefore key, as are speed and the passing patterns typical of small-ball. This philosophy extends to off-the-ball play as well, with constant pressure to capitalize on their strength in transition following a well-timed steal. Guillaume Vizade aims to literally suffocate his opponent with a touch of individual talent.

Club History

Ten years after establishing itself in the department, the Société des Comptoirs Modernes decided in 1938 to found its own sports club, as was common practice at the time. Initially focused solely on soccer, the wives of the members decided to create a basketball team to keep themselves occupied during World War II. Now known as the Sporting Club Moderne, founder Bernard Gasnal approved this initiative and established it as a full-fledged division.

While the women’s team excelled in Division 1, the men’s team quickly rose to match their level. Barely having reached Division 2, the Le Mans team immediately made its mark in the elite of French basketball in 1962. This rise was far from hasty, as Le Mans concluded its debut season in Division 1 with a solid 5th-place finish. Better yet, the SCM lifted its very first major trophy with the 1964 French Cup, defeating Roanne by a narrow two-point margin (70-68). This marked the beginning of a decade marked by achievements.

Now, virtually every French club knows where Le Mans is on the map. The “Tangos” have made these stunning performances a regular occurrence… without, however, adding to their trophy case. From 1964 to 1974, they lost four finals in a row (two league titles and two Cups). But following their debut on the European stage in 1975, the Le Mans team gained the experience needed to sweep everything in their path. 

The year 1978 heralded a revolution in Le Mans: its legendary president Bernard Gasnal stepped down just as star point guard Loyd King finally seemed to have overcome his physical issues. And unsurprisingly, SCM won the championship not once, but twice in a row. This back-to-back title run was followed by two more frustrating finals against Tours and ASVEL, before the team finally returned to the top in 1982.

Nothing seems able to stop this club, except for financial problems. The transition to the professional ranks takes a toll, and it’s only thanks to Stéphane Ostrowski, averaging 23.4 points, that Le Mans manages to stay afloat. But it’s only a matter of time. In the spring of 1985, the long-time club officials resign, deeming it no longer possible to manage the club. What was bound to happen happened: after 25 seasons in the top flight, SCM was relegated to the lower division. Arriving on the Le Mans bench in 1990, Tom Becker led the team to N1. Once again on the brink of collapse, the opening of Antarès – the new home of Le Mans Sarthe Basket – marked a turning point.

Step by step, Le Mans regained its former glory. 1997: return to the playoffs – 1998: return to European competition – 1999: championship semifinals – and most importantly, 2000 : the appointment of Vincent Collet as head coach. Voted Coach of the Year in his first season, the future head coach of the French national team brought the EuroLeague (C1) to Sarthe. This was followed by the 2004 French Cup, then the ultimate achievement with a double victory in the Semaine des As and the Championship in 2006.

This time, Le Mans avoided the mistakes of the past. Vincent Collet’s departure was immediately offset by the arrival of JD Jackson. In the Pays de la Loire region, one double victory led to another, with triumphs in the 2009 French Cup and the 2010 Semaine des AS the following year. This winning streak shows no signs of slowing down in the new decade, with the 2014 Leaders Cup, another French Cup in 2016, and Le Mans’ best-ever run on the continent, reaching the EuroChallenge (C4) quarterfinals.

And as if by fate, Le Mans faced Vincent Collet’s SIG in the 2018 Betclic ÉLITE semifinals. At the end of the decisive game, the Le Mans squad led by the giant Youssoupha Fall qualified for a final they won by a narrow two-point margin against Monaco (76-74). Aside from a fine run in the French Cup the following season, the MSB gradually slowed down, as evidenced by those two meager conference quarterfinal appearances in six years. But with this 2025 Leaders Cup snatched right from under the nose of the Monegasque giant, Team Tango seems to have rediscovered its ambition.

Focus : Community Service

In the stands at Antarès during games, some of the volunteers who welcome you and help you find your seats are actually fulfilling their community service obligations. As part of a wonderful initiative, Le Mans Sarthe Basket offers certain individuals sentenced to community service the opportunity to perform work that benefits society during their games.

Both rehabilitative and socially integrative, this measure provides the court with an alternative to short-term imprisonment, with the aim of preserving the convicted person’s social and professional integration (taking into account their personality and the charges against them). On game nights, these individuals are supervised by an MSB mentor, in coordination with advisors from the SPIP (Penitentiary Integration and Probation Service) of Sarthe.

The Number : 20

This is the number of consecutive playoff appearances achieved by Le Mans Sarthe Basket during the 2015–2016 season – a historic record in the Betclic ÉLITE.

other teams

Cholet

Strasbourg

Gravelines-Dunkerque

Nanterre

Monaco

Boulazac

Chalon/Saône

Dijon

Cholet

Le Mans

Limoges

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

Nancy