Toulouse. TMB: a defense in search of consistency
The Toulousaines must in particular be wary of the American pivot Jaisa Nunn, current MVP of the championship.
> The essential
With two defeats in three trips, the TMB, 5th two points behind the SIG (leader), is stalled in the standings. A victory tonight is imperative if he wants to stay well in the race for the top spots.
> Drop Jaisa Nunn
One of the keys to the meeting will be how the Toulousaines manage to limit the offensive impact of Montbrison’s interior game. In particular that of the powerful American pivot Jaisa Nunn. After five games, she presents a line of statistics (21.4 points 11.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 28.6 average rating) which makes her to date the MVP of the championship ahead of Aurore Pautou (25, 6 of eval, La Tronche), the first professional trans woman, and the Swedish international of the TMB Kalis Loyd (22.6 of eval). Finland’s Annika Holopainen (20.8 points and 6.2 rebounds on average), with whom Nunn forms a formidable indoor duo, will also have to attract the attention of the TMB defense.
If no other Loire player exceeds the eight points average, keeping an eye on Jade Hamaoui, Aurélie Favre or Clarisse Legrand seems essential.
> TMB
He is gradually giving Lorraine Lokoka playing time which will be very useful in defending the interior given the level of Montbrison in this sector and the absence of a foreign pivot in Toulouse. The player, who had been chosen to replace Kiah Gillespie has not been released by the club where she plays and as currently no position 5 is on the market, TMB will have to do without a second foreigner for some time yet.
> Xavier Noguera’s pre-match
“With Montbrison, it is still a solid team of the hen which presents itself with a big force in the interior game. We will have to manage to stabilize our defense. To have more consistency. To put the head to the place, this which we couldn’t do in the second half in Chartres. Nunn is a hardworking interior player, efficient on rebounds, very clean. We will have to control the rebound well to prevent Montbrison from having second chance balls. “