Muamba's MVP showing carries JDA Dijon to first Trophee du Futur in 20 years

JDA Dijon are champions of the Trophee du Futur for the first time in two decades, suffocating hosts SIG Strasbourg 69-65 at the Rhenus to win France's U21 end-of-season tournament and spoil the home side's dream. The title was a fitting farewell for coach Elise Prodhomme, who departs for JA Vichy after five years building the Burgundy club's program alongside sporting director Fabien Romeyer the pair having arrived together at the JDA in 2021. As the final buzzer sounded, Prodhomme turned to the front row to embrace Romeyer, who is leaving for SCABB. "This trophy caps five years of work," Prodhomme said. "It's the perfect ending and a reward for everything we put in place with Fabien Romeyer. Without him, we wouldn't be here." The final began badly for Dijon, who quickly fell behind 27-15 in the 13th minute as the Rhenus crowd sensed history SIG had never won the Trophee du Futur and hoped to break that anomaly at home. But the visitors, led by tournament MVP Mervyn Muamba (197-F-2005), flipped the contest with a suffocating third quarter that opened up a lead of as many as 13 points before a tense finish. The closing minutes brought heartbreak. Jahel Trefle (205-C-2007), who had two free throws to potentially seal matters, suffered a serious injury a cruel blow amid the celebration. But Dijon held on for the four-point victory. The triumph is the JDA's fifth in the competition's history, making them the second-most successful club in the tournament's history behind Cholet (seven). It also caps an extraordinary season for the Dijon training center, which Romeyer directed a campaign that yielded a Coupe de France U18, a third-place finish at U18, a runners-up spot in Espoirs, and now the Trophee du Futur. Among the standouts, Karl Zamatta (202-F-2006, agency: BIG) was held scoreless in the final (0-of-6) but had been decisive in the semifinal win over Bourg (16 points, 18 rebounds). Eighteen-year-old Tom Audry (198-F-2007), meanwhile, finally learned to win a final 10 months after the agony of the U18 EuroBasket collapse against Spain in Belgrade, also under Prodhomme. "We told ourselves beforehand that we didn't want to relive a final like this summer," Prodhomme said. "We knew it, and we gave everything because you don't lose twice."