Chalon, a historic team that won the French league in 2017 and eliminated Sito Alonso's Murcia in the preliminary phase, is Penya's opponent in the FIBA Champions League Top16. Xavi Millet, born in Sant Gregori on November 20, 1996, joined the French team in the summer of 2024 as an assistant coach.
His incorporation came about thanks to the recommendation of Jaume Ponsarnau to Chalon's head coach, Elric Delord. Millet, who joined Bàsquet Girona in 2018, had been an assistant to high-level coaches such as Aíto and Fotis Katsikaris until the summer of 2024, working closely with Miki Fuentes.
“"Elric has a very good relationship with Jaume Ponsarnau, also with Ibon Navarro, and he asked Jaume if he knew any Spanish coach, and he recommended me. I am grateful to him because we coincided the year Jaume was helping out to promote the team to the ACB, and he saw me working."
In France, Millet has quickly adapted to the work dynamic, using French and English, and focusing on player technical development. He explains that Chalon is in good form in Europe, despite the double competition, having won on important courts like those of Monaco or Alba Berlin.
Ahead of today's game, Millet was responsible for scouting Joventut Badalona. He highlights the playmaking ability of figures like Ricky and Tomic, accompanied by scorers like Hunt or Hakanson, and stresses the need to make them feel uncomfortable, following the strategy previously applied by Girona.
