Since then, the event has been at the center of the debates. The Soa, through all its communication channels, calls for a strong mobilization around its own. We are talking about an orange tide which should invade the stands of the basketball temple of the commune “N’zassa” (rainbow). On the side of the Abidjan basket club (Abc), it is the concentration.
What’s more normal ; President Boubakari Touré’s Fighters are used to this fact. With their team, the Abc, they had twenty finals and won sixteen (16). It should be noted the absence of this training of the championship in 2017. If it wins this weekend, it would enrich its record with a 17th coronation.
“Frankly, I see a very nice finish. Nca-Abc in Women and Soa-Abc in Men is the best part of basketball. There is a lot of aggression on both sides. But I think that it is the team which will want the most which will prevail, estimates the former basketball player, Alpha Mané, current coach of the female team of the Fighters of Abc.
Opposite, there will be two blocks, but above all individualities in the game. At the Soa, Stéphane Kokoun presents himself as a fan. He is even the locomotive of military training. “Kokoun is a very efficient player under the basket. It is a pity that he is absent from the list of the national coach for Afrobasket 2021, because it is he who is pulling the Soa up this season, ”notes Alpha Mané.
It is because Kokoun is in good shape this season. A very technical, powerful and very skilful player, this former ABC player trained at the Cocody Olympic basketball club also uses his physical mass to win when necessary. A real beast on the floor.
Kokoun is surrounded by young players as talented as they are ambitious. “Initially, it was a project to build a great team over one, or even two years. But we realized, over the matches that the blow is playable and therefore we left for the title, ”declared Stéphane Kokoun. Who already measures the big obstacle in front to access paradise.
“It’s going to be very hard to beat the Abc, as it was against Azur. But with God, nothing is impossible. We will come with our weapons, ”he promises. Kokoun evolves especially in a favorable environment with, Kouadio Michel, Stéphane Agolé, Traoré Aboubakar, players capable of changing the course of the game at any time.
For its part, the Abidjan basketball club, which knows this Soa team well, does not tremble. Rather, a very experienced team led by Franck Sylva is analyzing the situation. “The Soa is used to physical games. If the opponent cannot keep up with this dense rhythm, then she loses the game. This is what made the difference against Azur last Saturday. Azur was tired and the soldiers took advantage of it ”, judge Stéphane Konaté, the other strong man of the ABC, which is projected on the grand final back and forth (Friday and Saturday) and if possible a“ Beautiful ”Sunday.
He is lucky to have at his side, boys like, Pohoulou Serges, Kraka Ségui, Abrahm Sié, Désiré Koné and Mohamed Karaboué. “It’s going to be my 18th national championship final. A final is a final, it’s made to be won! The most important thing is to play as if it was the last match, ”continues Stéphane Konaté, who lets it be known that the ABC knows this Soa team well.
“It’s not a small team. You have to be able to contain their physical assaults and try to make a difference … ”, he concludes. Before inviting the general public to come en masse to see the show. They will not regret having come ”. During the first leg of the championship, the Military had beaten the Fighters by 6 points. On the return, the latter made their firepower speak (17 points difference).
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