While his team lost on the Cambrai floor for the last match of the season, Salah Koné returned to his team’s performance. He also talked about the rest of the season and the final four which awaits them in a week.
What is your feeling after this defeat in a rather unusual match?
Yes, it was definitely a special match because there was nothing at stake. Even though I don’t like to use the term, there was a surge of euphoria and a bit of motivation. The objective having been achieved, it was inevitable to expect a drop in performance in this match. Especially since the last four matches were very intense and we lost a lot of mental energy.
I imagine there is a bit of disappointment because the objective was to end with a victory?
Yes, we’re not going to say that it ruins our season, but there is a little bit of bitterness to end like that. I think that without putting in a very strong performance, there was not much missing to get the victory.
Do you blame the players for having had this relaxation?
It was something predictable, even if it wasn’t my speech. The objective has been achieved, now they know me and they know that I did not appreciate this meeting, and beyond the defeat, the ingredients that we did not know how to put. Especially after the locker room, because in the first two quarters, we had the game in hand. We started coherently, even if there was a little burst of pride from Cambrai. We set our pace and in the second half we didn’t make the necessary efforts, particularly offensively. We suffered a huge mistake once again on free throws which penalized us even though we quickly got the bonus.
This match allowed the return of Lassana, is that a good thing for him and for the rest of the season?
Yes, it was also the objective in this match to give playing time to players who were returning from injury or who had a little less time. Lassana was able to regain some rhythm, which is positive for next week. We had hope that Victor could also resume but that can no longer be the case. I was also able to give playing time to other players who had a little less, particularly due to Hugo’s absence.
Can this match serve as an electric shock and make your players understand that if you don’t put in the necessary intensity, there is no match won in advance?
Yes indeed it is a lesson in that sense. We know that we depend on the intensity we put on each side of the pitch and especially defensively. This should serve as a lesson to us, if we want to hope to achieve a result in the final stages. Afterwards we can’t complain about our defensive level in this match, it’s more offensively where we faltered, especially on the free throw line.
You still have at least one match left next week. We know that the objective is also to improve the B team at the end of the season. Are you going to leave players available to the reserve team?
The objective is clear, it is to present yourself with the most competitive group possible. There is the objective of bringing the reserve team up but also the objective of doing well in its final stages, starting with the Le Havre match. This is a team that has only lost once this season and has an excellent record. The idea is above all to reward the group which allowed us to get this far. We’re going to finish writing the story of this season with everyone. We can then think about strengthening the reserve team with the objective of moving up. But priority will be given to the first team.
Have you ever been able to analyze your opponent?
No, we have not yet been able to analyze the opponent, but we know the quality of the Le Havre training with educators who are more than recognized in the world of basketball and the training of young players. We expect a very complicated match, but we also have our weapons.
There will potentially be two matches in 48 hours, will that change the way you coach?
Yes and no. We will play the first match like a championship match, looking to win without necessarily thinking about what comes next. We will have to bring the intensity that we put into our last meetings. Depending on the scenario, we can think about the next day’s match but above all, we will have to give everything to win the first one.
Aurélien Finet
Photo credit: Léandre Leber – Gazette Sports
2024-04-30 13:01:31
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