Samy Olivier Harison, president of COSPN, believes his team can reach the semi-finals of the Elite 16 in Johannesburg
The National Police Omnisport Club is fine-tuning its preparation for the Elite 16. Its president, Samy Olivier Harison, discusses the objective to be achieved in South Africa.
One week before the start of the Elite 16 which will be played from November 21 to 26 in Johannesburg, where are you with the preparation for the COSPN?
We have continued preparation since the end of the N1A championship and the players are in great shape, physically and mentally.
Given last year’s experience, what are the strengths of COSPN and which sector needs to be improved to obtain good results?
Our advantage lies in our experience over the past year. We will have to emphasize the speed of our players who are smaller in size compared to the opponents, in order to endanger the latter. This year, our team is counting on our young 1m90 American point guard, Mike (Samuel Adwunmi) to create many offensive actions.
In the conference which is being played in South Africa, three clubs will obtain their ticket to go to Rwanda. What are the chances of the representative of the Big Island against the City Oilers or CFV de Beira?
We have already played against City Oilers and CF de Beira in 2022 and we have studied their games this year. A place in the semi-final is within our reach and we are working seriously on it.
The public is impatiently awaiting the list of players who will defend the colors of COSPN, in particular, and of Madagascar, in general, in this Elite 16. Can you name a few names, if not all the members of the squad?
The team’s squad has improved a lot compared to last year, to name only Mike in position 1, Elly from GNB Club in versatile position 1, 2 and 3, Bishop Coulter in position 4, Emmanuel in position 5 and Anthony, who is currently regaining his form, in position 5.
Is Malagasy basketball ahead or behind its African opponents? What still needs to be improved?
The talents of our players are undeniable and they have already proven them during major 3×3 games, world or African. But our major problem remains size, we lack players measuring 2 m and above. The lack of competition also remains to be made up because, in the end, our players only play around twenty days of competition per year.
Donné Raherinjatovo
2023-11-14 02:52:10
#BASKETBALL #OLIVIER #HARRISON
