The semi-finals of May 11 and 12 have delivered their verdict: Biscarrosse, led by Boris Diaw, and Élan Souémontain Montgaillardais Sarraziétois (ESMS) will face each other on 1er June after the ladies’ final (Élan chalossais vs Avenir basket Chalosse), in the Plumaçon arenas which are inevitably boiling for the occasion (in case of rain, June 8 is planned as a fallback). We have to go back to 2019 in Dax to find finals in large open-air arenas when covered floors are more usual.
UNPRECEDENTED FASHION
At the time for this first in the spa town, the places had sold very well but a little at the last moment. On April 2, the ticket office overheated as soon as it opened, whether in single file in front of the Mont-de-Marsan tourist office or directly on the internet, with people from the Landes and elsewhere, until in Lyon and Strasbourg. “The 2,300 general public tickets were sold in one hour! », according to Barbara Canlorbe, president of the Landes basketball committee, when the others were reserved for the four finalist clubs (600 for each) in order to keep the supporter spirit specific to the event, in addition to pre-sales to all clubs Landais (between 20 and 40 places each for 1,600 tickets in total).
“The Landais loved this final in Dax so much, which left a very strong memory, that we knew we would sell everything easily,” says the manager. The arrival of Boris also brought unprecedented enthusiasm, which seems obvious when a former player of the French team and the NBA, a world star, comes to try to win the Coupe des Landes! Everyone wants to see it. » The former San Antonio Spurs, crowned NBA champion in 2014 and retired from the courts five years later, took on the challenge last year, at the age of 41 with friends, to win the famous “Coupe du monde des Landes”, by joining Biscarrosse Olympic Basket (BOB), a Departmental 3 club. For this native of the Paris region who spent part of his childhood in Mont-de-Marsan and attended several finals in the arenas de Pomarez, this cup is “the Holy Grail for a Landais”, he then confided to South West : “I have always coveted this title, even if I was lucky to have others in my career! » Tony Parker himself also marked the date to come and encourage him in the final.
© Jean-Michel Lafforgue
3×3 BASKETBALL AND ARMCHAIR DEMOS
But over the course of the matches, the presence of Boris Diaw or rather the fact that his team benefits from a significant points lead at the start of the game due to the division of the gap, as stipulated in the regulations, has caused quite a few to cringe. teeth and provoked whistles, notably during the BOB-Coteaux de Luy match in the quarter-finals. “Dura lex sed lex,” replies Barbara Canlorbe, a lawyer by profession. We have regulations for everyone which allow everyone to participate and have a chance by having points ahead by level of difference in order to reduce a gap which is sometimes abysmal. This principle could not be called into question,” adds the woman who is now a candidate for his succession for the 2024 elections of the committee. After much hesitation, “the desire to continue is there to continue and implement new things,” she confides.
In the meantime, the great Landes basketball celebration should be beautiful on the 1ster June with in the morning, demonstrations of 3×3 tournaments, wheelchair basketball for this Handilandes weekend, old-fashioned games with a service provider, Olympic sports with the traveling village of the CDOS (Departmental Olympic and Sports Committee), and of course meals and refreshments.
In total, an overall budget of just over 100,000 euros, including security, logistics and equipment. “We must be in balance as in 2019 with ticketing and partnerships, according to Barbara Canlorbe, this year we would like to earn a little more. For us, the Coupe des Landes is a Source of money to continue to have a license price among the cheapest in France”, in this always so basketball department which today has almost 10,000 licensees, compared to 8,000 before Covid .
