Basket Landes – Bourges: a last tango in Paris for Céline Dumerc?
Absent three and a half months, between the end of November and the beginning of March, after a back operation, the leader-back of Basket Landes, Céline Dumerc (39), had returned to the courts on Saturday March 5 against Bourges. She had that day played 8 minutes, then 12 in the first leg of the Eurocup quarter-final, and finally 16 minutes in the two following meetings, in Landerneau then in Bourges. Before an adductor injury, which again kept her away from the courts for almost a month. Until his return, Saturday April 16, against Angers (89-74), for 4 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists in 17 minutes. Ideal before the final of the Coupe de France this Saturday, April 23 (2:30 p.m.) against Bourges, at Bercy.
“It’s the first final of the Coupe de France de Basket Landes and I just want to experience it”
” Everything in its time “
His tenth Coupe de France final (for five successes with Bourges, the most recent in 2014). The last ? “I don’t reason like that, I take each chosen in his time, explains the manager of the France team, who entrusted in recent weeks to “Sud Ouest” to think about the possibility of extending his career or not. This is the first Coupe de France final in Basket Landes and I just want to experience it. »
Céline Dumerc does not yet know if this Saturday will rhyme with the last tango in Paris. What is certain is that it will rhyme with Bercy. A room that the record holder of selections with the France team knows very well (262). “It’s brilliant and, at the same time, it’s awful, laughs the Tarbaise. It’s a magnificent room but you can’t train there, you don’t have too many visual cues with the basket. In the finals that I have been able to play, the percentage of success is not pretty pretty. Even if in my time, we had less offensive potential (laughs). It’s special but it’s still magical, there’s something that emerges. It’s hard to describe, you have to. »
A terrible defeat
Magic, even if the rear-leader has not always had good times in the capital. “I remember leading by 20 points at halftime, before losing. Against Arras, a mid-table team (defeat of Bourges 64-58, in 2012, editor’s note). We had a crazy first half, nothing could happen to us and after half-time, we didn’t come back from the locker room and we lost (there was still 45-28 in the 27th minute, Ed). It’s the biggest defeat, it was awful. I won some too, but I remember less…”
The Landes public hopes that one of their favorites will remember this Saturday, April 23, 2022 for a long time. And for good reason this time.