Basketbal BNXT League Circus Brussels
As if it wasn’t bad enough, Terry Deroover (right) was also injured last week in Mechelen. — © GOYVAERTS
After nine league defeats in a row and a painful cup elimination against Liège, Circus Brussels will try to end the year on a positive note for its own people against Leuven Bears on Friday evening. For coach Jean-Marc Jaumin, however, it is puzzling again.
Wim Redant
Brussels went down 85-71 in Mechelen last Saturday, but Jaumin still saw bright spots. “I saw quite a few positive things, but especially defensively we still made too many mistakes,” says the Brussels coach. “However, our performance was already a lot better than the previous competitions. Unfortunately, it remains for the rest. With Justin Kohajda and Jaylin Airington we attracted two more interim transfers, but both newcomers were already in the rags after a few games. It signifies the bad luck season we are in. At this point I’m even considering voodoo as a last resort, it’s really not normal anymore what’s happening to us this year. Last year we were already in the corner where the blows fall, but this season the setbacks both on and off the field seem to have increased. That is how we still have to do in Neder-Over-Heembeek with only nine training hours.”
The failure of captain Terry Deroover in Mechelen meant a new blow for the people of Brussels, where the German Ferdinand Zylka presents himself as a bright spot. “I am quite satisfied with Zylka’s season, although he can still make a lot of progress conditionally. He can still take steps, especially defensively. Terry Deroover worked hard over the summer and reached his optimum competition weight. Conditionally he was completely ready and then he is really an unadulterated topper. Unfortunately, he has been struggling for a whole season with various problems and he had to go to the side again in Mechelen. This week we were left with six fit players at training. Domago Proleta also stopped the fight and Louis Hazard was absent. Hopefully they will get patched up by Friday evening, otherwise the rotation possibilities will be very poor.”
Elite Gold
The question at Brussels is therefore at the moment: how many hits can the team still take? Isn’t the feather gradually broken mentally? The red lantern has now really become the bruise of the class. “When we are complete, we still have a team that can compete for the Elite Gold. Before the season I had set the bar high with the top four as the target, but I still stand behind that. When we are complete, we have just as many qualities as the other top players. We try to stay competitive, but with six players in training it’s not easy. It is therefore a pity that the players with a double license send their cat. Their presence in training would mean a win-win situation for the team and for their personal development. Someone like Rytis Pipiras is back in the meantime, but after 2.5 months of inactivity he obviously lacks match rhythm. It continues to work, but with the support of the fans we will try to turn things around against Leuven. The frustration of the coaching staff is great about the accumulation of setbacks, but a victory remains the best medicine.”
