paris Basketball Captain Acknowledges Growing Pains After SuperCup Loss to Boulazac
Paris, France – paris Basketball captain Yakuba Ouattara conceded his team is “still in readiness” following a defeat to Boulazac in the small final of the LNB SuperCup, emphasizing the need for continued development despite a committed roster.The loss marked a second defeat in as many games for the newly-configured Paris squad during the SuperCup weekend.
“We are a new team, with new players for whom our style of play is new,” Ouattara stated. “We do not become a professional of this system in three weeks of preparation, there is still work. What is positive is that everyone is invested and wants to do well, we have good potential. We did not show a beautiful face on the Super cup weekend, but it is indeed better that it happens now than later in the season.”
Ouattara highlighted the team’s need to learn from the experiance, noting that no team is “really ready for September 20 or 21.” He also acknowledged a need to better control game tempo, referencing a similar issue in their loss to Boulazac.”We like to play quickly, it is when we are in front of that we have to learn to control the rhythm of the game.Otherwise, we restore rhythm to the opponent, which happened to Boulazac in the small final.”
The captain also described a shift in coaching beliefs under new head coach Francesco Tabellini, who is prioritizing defensive intensity. ”He is even more rigorous in what he asks, especially defensively where he really wants to pass a course by being one of the best defensive teams. The background remains the same, but it is more rigorous on certain points where it does not compromise.”
Despite the early setbacks, Ouattara remains optimistic about the team’s potential, emphasizing their unpredictable and aggressive style. “We are aggressive on all systems, all the facts of play.the teams will seek us to slow down, for sure.”
