The globetrotters of French basketball are back in action. See you this week at Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima, the pottery capital of Thailand, a four-hour drive from the capital Bangkok. The 3×3 Paris team launches its international year abroad with this tournament of the Thai Super League, with a high level.
This year, the group is more ambitious, in particular because they have been able to prepare for several months specifically for this discipline, the little sister of the 5×5 to which all the players belonged less than a year ago (NM1, NM2 or NCAA).
“We are now ready to play 10 minutes, we are no longer tired in the last minute. That’s what we wanted”
Alex Vialaret, French number one
Their first outing of the year, at the end of February in parallel with a French team internship, during the La Rochelle tournament, a Lite Quest (3rd level of the international circuit), allowed them to take some bearings. “In addition to winning, we showed that we are beginning to have experience, appreciates Alex Vialaret, French number one. We have been physically and emotionally stable, we are progressing. We are no longer novices, we are ready to attack this big season. » Where the objective will also be to collect good results, and therefore points in the international ranking, in order to qualify France for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
A redesigned physical preparation
After a month of rest in December, 3×3 Paris was entitled to specific 3×3 physical preparation for two months, combining cardio, explosiveness and endurance: track, mobility exercises, boxing or cycling.
“Physically, we are really ping a course, ures Karim Souchu, coach of 3×3 Paris. I see it in training. We can maintain a high intensity for longer and it is more qualitative on the sequences of play. It will be important, especially in this discipline where the last two or three minutes are very often decisive, we will be less burnt out. »
“You really feel the difference, confirms Vialaret, also bronze medalist at the World Championships last year with the France team. Being stable in the game over 10 minutes, very lucid, with the intensity of 3×3, is the hardest part. We are now ready to play 10 minutes, we are no longer tired in the last minute. That’s what we wanted, to be able to chain matches over a day, but also tournaments, with travel. »
Because 3×3 Paris does not yet know exactly its program for the year, it will depend on its results over the tournaments around the world, but it looks very busy. The objective is to win a ticket for several of the Masters of the World Tour, the most challenging circuit in the discipline, which will begin at the end of April in Japan. Without them, for now.