Why the friendly match between Orléans Loiret Basket and Nanterre is an event at CO'Met

This will perhaps be common in the future, but it is a first which is taking place this Tuesday evening at the CO'Met Arena: the OLB welcomes Nanterre there, at 8 p.m., which is therefore the first Betclic Élite team to perform, in a friendly, in the main room, since the opening of the venue in January 2023.

“This work match”, as the Orléans coach Lamine Kébé describes it, also prestigious, serves as a return match after the Nanterre – OLB won in one breath (91-90) by the Ile-de-France residents, last August, in preparation . For both clubs, it is above all a good opportunity to get back into rhythm after the international window and the interruption of their respective championships.

New combinations

“It will allow us to see where we are against a team of this level. Defensively, we will see if we are capable of fighting against this type of team. The idea is also to try new things , to bring new combinations on the field”, informs the coach of the OLB, the leader of the ProB.

He will be able to rely on a full squad – Tomi Gabric suffered from a bad ear infection last week and is now recovered, although tired. “Since the resumption of training last Thursday, we have done very hard, very intense sessions this weekend again. We wanted that to play this match against Nanterre a little tired, in order to launch a second part of getting started for the match against Denain on Saturday evening”, explains Lamine Kébé.

Sports Without making any noise, an attractive Orléans Loiret Basket took first place in Pro B

Nanterre, trained since this summer by Philippe Da Silva, comes to Loiret with a rather modest record of service, only weighed down by three victories and sitting in 12th place in the Betclic Elite. However, some statistical elements show interesting potential, such as his almost 87 points scored per match (only Paris and Asvel do better in the elite), his 20 assists per match (5th best total in the division) or the status of best interceptor in the championship from Desi Rodriguez, his Dominican interior.

Not far from bringing down ASVEL

“Nanterre had a difficult start to the season, but they have come back well recently. Just before the break, they went to win in La Rochelle,” says Lamine Kébé. At the start of the month, the Hauts de Seine club had not been far from bringing down Asvel at the Astroballe (109-103).

This friendly confrontation will mark the start of a real marathon at home for OLB, who will play five more matches at CO'Met between now and December 27.

Raphaël Coquel.