So. After eight months of effort and travel, each longer than the last, Boulazac Basket Dordogne is making its last trip of the regular season.
Friday May 10, he will be in Antibes. A match without any stake in the standings for the Périgourdins. Certain to finish third, the players…
So. After eight months of effort and travel, each longer than the last, Boulazac Basket Dordogne is making its last trip of the regular season.
Friday May 10, he will be in Antibes. A match without any stake in the standings for the Périgourdins. Certain of finishing third, Alexandre Ménard’s players are only waiting for one thing: the name of their opponent in the quarter-final of the play-offs.
It will be against the sixth, Rouen or Châlons/Reims. The Champenois travel to… Rouen. If the Normans win or lose by less than four points, then the BBD will face Châlons/Reims.
Boyer, centerpiece
For the play-offs, there are still two tickets to be taken between the Alliance Alsace, Poitiers and Antibes, precisely. If the Alsatians and the Poitevins lost, then the Azuréens would have a guaranteed place in the event of a victory against Boulazac. They will therefore play hard.
Even more so “after their bad start to the season”, nine losses in 11 matches, “they straightened out the situation”, illustrates Alexandre Ménard, “with a coach who has nothing to do in Pro B”, JD Jackson therefore, champion of France 2016 with Asvel in particular.
He can rely on pivot Mathieu Boyer, best rebounder in Pro B (9.5 average) and always strong in the offensive sector (14.7 points); Boyer also leads the way in the evaluation (20.5). This promises an interesting duel with Jean-Marc Pansa, the Boulazac pivot being untouchable this spring.
Avoid feeling hungry
Pansa, under contract with Antibes for another year, will not be the only Boulazacois to be contacted. Because the coach does not intend to do nothing about this meeting. “The worst thing would be not to benefit from it. You must always look for something positive and good for the future. »
This trip could, for example, be an opportunity to further boost confidence abroad. the BBD has not particularly shone away from its bases this season. Even if the fresh victory in Orléans improves the situation.
Above all, it will be the last full-scale test before the quarter-final first leg, Thursday May 16 at the Arena Le Palio Périgord. Ménard still has “things to try.” We will certainly introduce new systems if we manage to work correctly, we will do tests or at least refine two or three things that we do not do very well. In attack in particular. » The staff hopes to introduce some new forms of play, “it could be interesting”.
But for that, you have to play hard. No player will be entitled to “free minutes.” Everyone has to do it to stay on track. We had a bit of a dip in April, it’s not to stupidly get back into it. »