Laure Resimont — © BELGA
In addition to the BNXT-League, the first division (Top Division Women) for the women will also start tonight. With eleven teams and again with an audience in the stands. Castors Braine, the new women’s project by Kangaroos Mechelen and Namur Capitale, are the favorites towards the prizes (title/cup). Eleven teams compete for eight places in the play-offs. Kangaroos Mechelen-Namur Capitale is the bill of the first day of play tonight. If you want to follow the matches online, you can visit https://www.basketbal.vlaanderen/ competion/basketball-belgium/results-en-kalender.
Patrick Ceulemans
The best Belgian players (including Emma Meesseman, Julie Allemand, Kim Mestdagh, Antonia Delaere, etc…) have been playing in the strong foreign competitions and in Russia, Spain and France for years. Towards Belgian Cats that is of course a win win that the talents develop further internationally. In recent years, the Belgian first class has also been gaining in quality on the one hand and elasticity on the other. The hegemony of Castors Braine is gradually being broken and teams such as Kangaroos Mechelen, Namur Capitale, but also Liège Panthers and Phantoms Boom narrow the gap. There are also many talented players in the Top Division Women to admire. Player of the Year Billie Massey and twin sister Becky Massey and Laure Resimont with Kangaroos Mechelen, Elise Ramette, Promise of the Year Sam Van Buggenhout and Maxuella Lisowa with Castors Braine, Ine Joris with Phantoms Boom, Julia Franquin and Emmeline Leblon with Liège Panthers and last but not least top talent Nastja Claessens at Waregem.
Coach Benny Mertens is also working on a great project at Kortrijk Spurs. Just like colleagues Pierre Cornia at Liège Panthers and Sven Van Camp at Phantoms Boom. A pack of Belgian Cats and Young Cats can still be admired on the Belgian “courts”. The return of veteran and Belgian Cat Marjorie Carpréaux to Namur Capitale will provide a lot of atmosphere and nice assists.
Laure Resimont (Kangaroos Mechelen) “We go for the prizes”
It is especially important to watch out for Kangaroos Mechelen in Belgian women’s basketball. The club from Mechelen merged with Sint-Katelijne-Waver. Coach Arvid Diels took all his Belgian talents more to the Winketkaai. Supplemented by the Serbian Ivana Katanic and the American Ae’Rianna Harris. Two-time Player of the Year and Laure Resimont from Mechelen, still only 23, returned from abroad and signed with Kangaeroes Mechelen for two years. “This is a great project and in my own city. We are ready to make the connection with the Belgian top. What’s more, we want to qualify for the finals (cup/championship) this year and, if possible, win a prize. We also want to have a say in the European FIBA EuroCup Women,” says Laure Resimont.
In the short term, Kangaroos Mechelen even wants to grow towards the Euroleague. Ambitious plans at the club of chairman Luc Katra, who should put the new project on the map in the first season, especially in Belgium.
first day of play: Lummen-Phantoms Boom, Kangaroos Mechelen-Namur Capitale, Liège Panthers-Pepinster, Castors Braine-Kortrijk Spurs, Sparta Laarne-Waregem
