The Neuchâtelles players are at the top of the basket, in the 1st women’s basketball league. The Neuchâteloises, who are experiencing their first season at this level, are currently 5th out of 13 with 14 points in 9 matches. The team can count on its young players, bronze medalists at the Swiss under-18 championship last spring. “We are very surprised by our results. We thought we were playing at the bottom of the rankings,” says Heinz Hoffmann, the club’s co-president.
The only thing still missing from Matteo Augello’s squad is “the depth of the bench”, believes the manager. The accession of the Neuchâtel club to the third division did not “attract players from outside the canton”, regrets this basketball enthusiast. Perhaps we need to aim even higher… Because if it has the opportunity, the club will not hesitate to play in the national league. And this from next season. “The high level is what will attract other players. And allow our current elements to develop,” believes Heinz Hoffmann. Since the University’s bankruptcy in 2009, Neuchâtel has no longer had a women’s team in the national league.
No need for Neuchâtelles to obtain this promotion on the floor. A credible application file seems to be enough. The difficulty is firstly financial. Today, Neuchâtelles’ budget is around 100,000 francs. “We have to go get them already. Fortunately we have the contributions. I don’t know how much [la montée] would cost, but in any case it would be necessary to double the budget,” anticipates the manager.
Room problem?
Let us add that the biggest obstacle for the residents of La Maladière – they live in the triple room – will perhaps be the infrastructure. “A third national league team in Neuchâtel would pose room problems,” admits the co-president of Neuchâtelles. The former member of the Union Neuchâtel committee does not stop himself from thinking about the Riveraine – “why not before the Unionist matches…” – but he is aware that the puzzle will be difficult to put together.
The 1st league championship resumes on January 8 for Neuchâtelles, which hosts Martigny at 6 p.m., with a possible place on the provisional podium of the west group at stake. /vco
