the essential
Author of a complicated match, the Tarbaise nevertheless scratched the offensive rebound of the victory for the TGB. Announced as a key to the double confrontation against Basket Landes, the pivot is keen to show another face in a room which does not really suit him.
How do you analyze your match, cold?
It was a complicated match. I had good performances this year, so I was expected, that’s logical, afterward it’s up to me to know how to manage the pressure that will be put on me. Thursday evening, I didn’t necessarily know how to manage it, psychologically it was complicated. Afterwards, I still have this state of mind of never giving up, the team is counting on me, and it’s because I am targeted that I can’t continue playing, so I wanted to show another image, something I did in the second half. I made decisive actions at the end of the match, showed that I was there, so I wouldn’t say it was a failed match. This last rebound is not an action that describes a match, but the most important thing is always to give everything, and even if you don’t score, you contribute elsewhere.
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You talk about pressure, is that what made you miss the start of the match?
We always have a little pressure.
It’s the light that shines, the TV…
Not especially. This is not the first time that I have been put forward, this whole year I have been in the spotlight. No, it’s more the stakes in the matches that are increasing, we really want to do well too and that’s a whole, but I’m not worried. I think I did much worse than that in a match this year so I’m not affected by that, and I’m waiting for Sunday’s match to show another side.
We were the first to announce ourselves as the key to the match?
We shone a lot more through aggressiveness. Away, our little ones managed to pierce the Basket Landes defense. Our game, it’s not just me, it’s that we can be dangerous from everywhere and as soon as we increase the speed, the intensity, the danger can come from everywhere. Today, a Serena (Kessler, Editor’s note) who we don’t see often was superb. The girls were great and once again, it was the collective that won because we know how to make each other shine. There are still these weak times that we must continue to manage like this second quarter.
You return to Basket-Landes on Sunday, before talking about yourself, what match should we expect?
A whole different match. We will want to keep our lead to win, Basket-landes will want to come back, it will be a very intense match even if the one we have just won was already so. We know the Landaises, we know that they can be very tough in the fight and that is what we should expect beyond an increase in the level of play. It will be an increase in combativeness intensity, that’s what will make the difference. It’s going to be a bit of a bloody semi-final, we’re going to take some hits, but we’re going to take some hits too. The team that is standing at the end will win.
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Are you going to operate in a hostile environment?
We have already played twice at Mitterrand this year, we know the atmosphere there very well. That’s not what worries us the most. In Charnay or even in Charleville, these are rooms with a special atmosphere. We will have to stay focused on ourselves and stick together on the pitch because we will be alone against everyone.
After the Cup semi-final, you said: “I hope we come back here and they let me play…”
When I think back to that match, I felt overwhelmed. I had the impression that when I wanted to show a little intensity, I was called for a foul. In the Coupe de France, I made 5 mistakes including 3 offensive ones, and that’s not my game at all. I hadn’t changed anything in my game and I didn’t understand. That match, I didn’t understand how I had been whistled but I’m not going to arrive there thinking of the referees.
You will arrive there mainly with the aim of showing your true face.
I always come home with the same state of mind. By wanting to act as a deterrent in defense and by participating offensively. I stay in my cylinder and manage the external elements as best I can. I am not going to let external elements influence my performance.
After Thursday’s match Geiselsoder was pleased to have contained you. Does that motivate you a little more?
It’s normal that she feels this satisfaction at having gained the upper hand. It’s not because of her that I was out of my shoes, it’s because of me. It’s always this idea of not being influenced by external elements. The return match will be a different match. But it’s true that it’s stimulating because I want to return the favor. I want to show that I can dominate. I can’t wait to play again to show another side.
