After starting basketball late, at the age of 17, Corentin Doucet quickly turned to youth training in Sotteville-lès-Rouen, at just 20 years old.
And it was at the start of the 2022-2023 season that he arrived in Loir-et-Cher. “David Morabito, the head of the ADA training center, was looking for a video assistant: I applied and I was selected, also being his assistant to the hopefuls and coach of the men’s Regional 2”simply explains the young man, who subsequently became the coach of the national U18s at mid-season 2023-2024, succeeding Frédéric Daguenet in this position.
Complementary pair with Moctar Ndir
With results quickly coming one after the other for the group coached by Corentin Doucet and Moctar Ndir, a particularly complementary pair. “It’s a chance to work with Moctarspecifies Corentin. He knows all the workings of the club and its values. It’s pure joy to have him by your side. »
While the team returned to Group B at the start of 2024, it was a total success with participation in the final four and the title of vice-champion of France. We therefore expected a lot from this start of the championship and we were not disappointed since all these lovely people will leave in January in the upper group after a perfectly controlled first phase.
“Settle down permanently in the upper group”
“It’s a reshuffled team that started the season after the last year of some U18scontinues the young coach. But the arrivals of strong men, with the existing framework, made it possible to start 2024-2025 well with a victory on the first day in La Rochelle. This victory was the trigger and gave the group confidence. It was necessary because we inherited a very complicated pool with the addition of Cholet, Orléans, Poitiers and Tours. The results then continued with only two false notes in the return matches, against Cholet and Orléans. » A setback against the Orléanais which was largely avoidable with a little more success, particularly on free throws.
“We are not going to be choosy, we were assured from the 7e day of leaving with the best French teams. I have receptive boys. But be careful: what is acquired the day before is not necessarily the truth of the next day. With young players, you have to constantly rehearse to avoid settling into a certain comfort. Our long-term objective, with the different generations that will follow one another, will be to permanently establish our U18s in the upper group. »
An interesting challenge that this talented team will have to take on when it resumes in January: “For the players, it will be a new stage in a group of eight which will ultimately lead to the title of champion of France with much more intensity in terms of rhythm. I don’t set a goal. These are the players who will set their course based on their desire, hoping that they can enter the quarter-finals: that would be a great reward. »
