The Leaders Cup basketball, which begins this Friday at the Arena, is a beautiful spotlight for Saint-Chamond and its basketball club, bringing together the best French teams of the moment. But it is doubtful, as the National Basketball League (LNB) affirms with self-derision in its advertising campaign willingly borrowing clichés from deep America (country music, cowboy hat, electric guitar), that is “the basketball event that Americans envy”.
Even with the presence, among the participants, of the Metropolitans 92 of Victor Wembanyama, who is panicking the NBA before joining it next season, he, the immense favorite for the next draft. “It’s a lot of matches in a very short time, it’s possible that it plays in our favor”, estimated the new star of French basketball at a press conference, about a competition he will play for the first time.
Positive signal
On the other hand, the return of the former “Semaine des As” after two years of absence due to the Covid pandemic (2021) then financial difficulties in organizing it (2022) is a positive signal sent by French basketball. . For Sasa Obradovic, coach of Monaco, leader of Elite, “some teams can already succeed in their season by winning” this trophy.
“For us (not winning) would be a big disappointment and winning would be normal. That’s how we have to deal with it,” he explained. The Leaders Cup has left Disneyland Paris, which has housed it since 2013, to return to the regions with the brand new Arena Saint-Étienne Métropole in Saint-Chamond (Loire). For this edition and that of next year as an option. “We will have to take stock. If there are changes to be made, it will be up to the elected officials of the League to decide” explains Fabrice Jouhaud, general manager of the LNB.
Asvel, a new start?
In the meantime, the enclosure where the Saint-Chamond club (14th in Pro B) plays year-round will be sold out (4,200 places) from Friday to Sunday to crown the successor of Dijon, whose best player David Holston is still uncertain, on the list of winners of this first title of the season.
Asvel will have this ambition: the reigning triple French champion probably intends to make competition, almost at home, the starting point for a happier end to the season than the first part (19 wins for 25 losses, championship and Euroleague combined).
“As the next few weeks approach, it is important to gain confidence,” assures captain Charles Kahudi. “Starting a series would be good. We have seen in the past that when you win the Leaders Cup you always have a positive momentum (dynamic) behind”.
Favorite Monaco
The Villeurbannais will have to put in their mouths a hearty entry, opposed in the quarter-finals on Friday to Boulogne-Levallois from Wembanyama, whom they had in their ranks last season, and the coach of the Blues Vincent Collet, second in the championship.
The Mets coach, weakened by injuries with only six professionals in the squad, “still makes it a goal. It’s a competition that also allows you to learn for a team that is young.” The leader, Monaco, is the big favourite, he who intends to become master again in France (vice-champion of France in 2018, 2019 and 2022) while satisfying his dreams of Final Four in the Euroleague.
Sasa Obradovic’s team will be opposed in the quarter-finals to Bourg-en-Bresse, who beat them on Sunday on the wire (90-88).