A
fter securing its place in the top 4 of Pro B with its stunning victory against Vichy (74-70), Boulazac Basket Dordogne travels to Orléans, Saturday May 4, this time to be certain of finishing the regular Pro phase B on the podium.
A success in Orléans and the deal would be in the bag. In the event of a setback, Germain Castano’s men would go ahead, unless they succeed by less than seven points because Boulazac had…
A
fter securing its place in the top 4 of Pro B with its stunning victory against Vichy (74-70), Boulazac Basket Dordogne travels to Orléans, Saturday May 4, this time to be certain of finishing the regular Pro phase B on the podium.
A success in Orléans and the deal would be in the bag. In the event of a setback, Germain Castano’s men would go ahead, unless they succeed by less than seven points because Boulazac won 81-74 at the Palio.
And for the last day, the BBD will go to Antibes while Orléans will host Aix-Maurienne, already assured of its maintenance. Suffice to say that the podium passes, for the Boulazacois, by a victory at Co’Met, the very large hall in Orléans.
The problem is that the OLB “is the most talented team” in the division, “ahead of La Rochelle and Vichy”, insists Alexandre Ménard, the Périgord coach. Especially with its wagonload of recent adjustments.
Great customers
Example with Darius Johnson-Odom. The full-back has already worn the Orléans colors, in 2020. He returned last February. The American was still drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 55th position in 2012, wore the jerseys of the Los Angeles Lakers or Philadelphia, before going to taste the Euroleague with Olympiakos, then playing for a long time in Italy…
Let’s also not forget the leader Terrel Gomez, who was part of the Saint-Quentin Pro B champion squad last season. After three matches with Orléanais, he scored 18, 10 then 25 points. He teams up with Stefan Smith, who “scored 26 points in Serbia”, in the jersey of FK Kolubara Lazarevac.
“They have a real ability to stretch defenses with their three-point shots”
“On the back lines, Orléans is impressive,” continues the coach. They have a real ability to stretch defenses with their three-point shooting. » The Loirétains return 9.5 per match on average, fourth total in Pro B.
Fair
Faced with this armada, the BBD will not make any calculations. Ménard and his staff will not ask themselves the question of saving this or that player, of relaunching another, in anticipation of the play-offs. “We will play hard, obviously, because we have to be fair. » To get playing time, you have to “train well and perform well on the field. We keep our line of conduct. We want quality on the pitch. Especially since, behind this match, the players will have two days of rest. »
The technician just explains that this end of the regular season also serves “to prepare for the play-offs but from a management and pressure angle”. This could also help certain players to return to their level. Several players from Boulazac missed their match against Vichy, or have been less well in recent weeks.
Which, strangely, reassures Ménard. “Even with people a little less good, we turned this match around. Having gone beyond these moments makes us grow. Our reaction with two or three less good players shows that we have the potential to go further. » As always, in Boulazac, the collective comes before the individual.