By winning two days before the end of the championship against Beaucouzé (61-47), the Pays de Laval Basket definitively marked its return to National 3 just a year after going down. A result which was far from being acquired last September when the season began, as Jeff Guilleux, the new coach of this team, confirms: “This rise is a big surprise given the context at the start of the season. With the descent last year, we picked up girls lacking confidence. It was a long-term job to get everyone back on track. »
Not an easy start to the season
Indeed, we had to digest a change of coach, the departures of three promising young players (Bilheux, Baudoin and Plet) and the absence of Rousseau, still undergoing rehabilitation. In addition Bruneau, one of the rare recruits did not play due to maternity, joined during the season by Coquereau. Finally, Dieng, the only real post 5, made numerous visits to the infirmary. The first results (4 defeats for 1 victory) confirmed this impression before the unexpected arrival of two players changed the situation.
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The return of Coulanges and the arrival of Dumont, two players who have played at the National level, will change the face of the team. “These arrivals have brought serenity and stability to the group. Above all, it allowed the other players to have more confidence to be able to express themselves more,” the Laval coach readily recognizes. The results were quickly reversed for Mayennaises who won 7 of the following 8 matches. The return phase is of the same ilk with to date 8 successes in 11 days and a third place assured. For Guilleux, the reasons for these good results are mainly mental rather than technical. “We didn’t do much but we managed to create cohesion in the group and a better atmosphere. We talked a lot with the girls to involve them in the game project.”
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Big challenge for the future
We will now have to take a serious look at next season to avoid taking the plunge. The team is experienced but aging and lacks rotation at position 5. “There are 80% of the workforce who will stay next year and perhaps a few returns (Choisy) », specifies Guilleux, who wants to integrate as many young people trained at PLB as possible and hopes to recruit a position 5. But before that there is still a Mayenne Cup to win for some who have never won it before.
Squad: Pave, Deschamps, Rousseau, Onfray, Coquereau, Letessier, Dreux, Dieng, Lemée, Dumont, Coulange.
2024-04-28 12:44:24
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