The TMB and Basket Landes face each other this Sunday afternoon (3:15 p.m.) in the Pink City, at the Palais des sports, in a crucial duel. The TMB is aiming for 8th place to avoid the play-downs. A victory could provide a decisive psychological advantage.
Two comebacks this week. That of TMB in Villeneuve-d’Ascq which, led 72-53, won 84-85, and that of Basket Landes, in EuroLeague, which won in Valence 72-76 after being led 70-63. This confrontation against Basket Landes is not just a match for turnaround specialists?
It is especially the TMB, the smallest of the division, which meets the bulk of the division. Even if they are neighbors, we know that we are meeting the most stable team in recent years in the Wonderleague, the one which wins a title every year. There, she has just qualified for the EuroLeague Final Six. We welcome the big team from Basket Landes.
How do you explain the dynamics of 2026 (3 victories in 4 matches)? The arrival of Hortense Limouzin, the return of the injured?
A mix of everything. Above all, there is the fact of finding everyone. At least we can work. It was very complicated before the Christmas break. Of course, Hortense gives us stability at position 1, but I think everyone also makes a little more effort. We see a bench which is decisive in each meeting. We try to explain that if everyone respects their role, we will be able to compete with many teams. There, we do it quite well.
Is 8th place not yet the goal?
I don’t talk about it. What interests me is match after match. And if we do the job, we’ll see what the ranking has in store for us, which also depends on the results of other teams. We really need to continue to focus on ourselves. And then we’ll see if we can move up the rankings. We must not forget that we had two big victories against Villeneuve-d’Ascq. We have to be honest, for us it was difficult to imagine winning them twice. You have to know how to stay in your place. And nothing is certain. This is what we explain to girls. It’s won on the ground.
With a full squad, we see you making strong choices. Players who don’t come in, others who have little playing time. Is it in relation to the daily commitment?
It is in relation to a style of play that we have defined. During the first part of the season, we very regularly conceded more than 80 points. We couldn’t compete with the teams. Unfortunately, whether they are big names, big salaries or not, it is those who deserve to be on the field who are on the field. If it’s the young people who deserve it, it’s the young people who play. Fatoumata Touré is exploding in this team. She gains minutes. Manoé Cissé has less playing time but we find it in terms of aggressiveness and skill. Assetou Traoré does her job when she comes home. Margot De Freitas is decisive defensively. We must respond to the investment we are asking for on the ground. It’s not against girls who don’t play. We have a team where the girls are engaged in the project, in the mindset of what we want to achieve. It’s never easy to stay on the bench. These are choices. You have to understand what these choices bring to the team in relation to the results. Even though I know it’s not easy to understand.
Direct maintenance or play-down?
While waiting for the green carpet which will liven up the off-season – entry into legal recovery proceedings, La Roche/Yon should be demoted to at least Ligue 2 – the TMB will do everything to ensure its maintenance. And 8th place, currently occupied by La Roche, would allow it to ensure this by avoiding going through the play-downs. Even if Xavier Noguera admits not to think about it, a victory over Basket Landes tomorrow would see the TMB gain a little psychological advantage over the leader which it could find in the quarter-final by obtaining this saving 8th place. Tenth tied with Lyon, which will soon see its “management control commission” penalty point appear in the ranking, the TMB is only one length behind 8th place. Winning tomorrow will be a way to make it even more accessible.
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