Lamine Kébé: "I've always been under pressure" at Orléans after Blois defeat

Orléans coach Lamine Kébé admits he is "always under pressure" following the team's significant loss to Blois. "It's the coach's job. I don't control that, I focus on the team. If decisions are made... I hope they won't be. But I don't control that," Kébé stated to ICI Orléans, describing the game as a "non-match" where they "received an intensity lesson."

Kébé, who joined the club from the federal center in the summer of 2024 and had his contract extended to 2027 in September 2025, was met with whistles from the home crowd after the game. ICI Orléans described the reception as unprecedented since his tenure began.

The derby match, dubbed "Centrico," drew a large crowd, with attendance figures reported around 9,000 to 10,000. This fixture had previously set an attendance record for the division in January. Blois established a commanding lead early on, up 27-14 after the first quarter and 41-19 by the 15th minute. Orléans managed to narrow the deficit to 40-48 by halftime, but Blois pulled away again in the third quarter, outscoring Orléans 35-16, partly due to three consecutive three-pointers from David Coit. The scoreline reached a 27-point difference with ten minutes remaining (56-83).

Arthur Bouba was a dominant force for Blois, scoring 21 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and achieving a valuation of 36. Blois outrebounded Orléans significantly, 47 to 31. Summer acquisitions for Orléans struggled, with Jonathan Jeanne contributing 7 points on 2-of-8 shooting and Jordan Shepherd adding 6 points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Orléans' season has seen early struggles, with losses at home to Champagne Basket (84-88) and Antibes (89-85). Their two victories came on the road against Quimper (73-83) and Hyères-Toulon (64-79). The team currently sits 13th in the standings.

These results are notable given the club's financial commitment. OLB boasts the highest budget in the division at over 7 million euros, with a salary cap of 1.95 million euros. Blois, with the third-largest budget, operates at 4.6 million euros. Looking ahead, in April 2026, the club and the City of Orléans announced the upcoming investment from the American group JHZ Holdings, led by Ben Jenkins, Matt Hong, and Jamie Zaninovich, with the stated aim of consistently returning to the Betclic Élite league.

Despite failing to achieve promotion in his first two seasons, Lamine Kébé did lead Orléans to two Leaders Cup Pro B titles, the most recent being in February 2026 against Roanne.