Basket Landes has already started its season well. The Landes validated their first objective by bagging a fifth consecutive qualification in the Euroleague – which changes formula this year – at the end of a controlled double confrontation against the Turks of Besiktas (70-84 in the first leg in Turkey, 80-58 on the way back). Placed in a tough group, the blue and white club will try to rely on its experience to seek victories and advance to the main round, which it has never managed to do before.
“When we play in the Euroleague, we want to win. Afterwards, having ambition in this competition is complicated. All the teams are armed, they want to go as far as possible. But we are in the same logic,” explained assistant coach Olivier Constant after the qualification against the Istanbulites.
For these two matches, Basket Landes was able to rely on the successful debut of its three recruits. For this new financial year, the team of new president Audrey Lacroix, who took over from the historic Marie-Laure Lafargue (still general director), has in fact focused on continuity. The squad was reinforced by two French internationals, Leïla Lacan and Myriam Djekoundade, and the American leader Destiny Slocum, to compensate for the departures of Kendra Chery, Angela Salvadores and Alexis Peterson.
Top 6 official objective
In the championship, if Basket Landes is aiming for “a place in the top 6 to ensure a European Cup”, says Audrey Lacroix, there is no doubt that the hopes of having a season as successful as the previous one are very real. Despite the absence of a major title for the first time in four years (2021 French champion, Coupe de France in 2022 and 2023), Basket Landes experienced a season as exceptional as it was unexpected, with two finals in the Coupe de France and in Women’s League despite an 80% renewed workforce.
For this new LFB season, coach Julie Barennes’ players start with a long trip to Charleville-Mézières this Saturday (8 p.m.). They will follow up a week later, on October 5, with a big shock at home against Bourges, their executioner in the Coupe de France final (63-76). And an opponent who beat them in preparation (58-73). This first pass to the developer could set the tone for the Landaises season.
