The girls of Cavigal Nice Basket 06 are having a great first half of the season in Ligue 2. Ranked sixth before facing Reims on Saturday, they almost defeated the leader on their home court last weekend. Among them is Elodie Decker, who joined the club this season. An uncompromising defender, the number 11 has perfectly found her place within the local team. Her strength? Her feisty character!
A smiling and endearing blonde, Elodie Decker puts her 1.68 meters to the test on the courts every weekend. Determined and generous, this fiery personality gives her all across the Women’s Ligue 2. Born into basketball, she has been playing successfully since the age of five. It must be said that she never leaves the court without having given her all… and it’s appreciated! Arriving in Nice this season, this small guard quickly made her fierce energy an integral part of the Nice starting five.
She clashed with her future coach
At 25, Elodie has traveled widely before settling on the coast. Having played in Reims, If, and Tours, it was in Charnay-les-Mâcon that she crossed paths with Olga Tarasenko, her current coach, during a high-stakes match. If the two women clashed strongly that day, it was only because these two strong personalities were not defending the same colors. As proof, the two heroines of that night joined the same club in the off-season. Elodie arrived in Nice in July with three other recruits.
The rest is a success. The guard adapted very quickly and found her niche in the team. Her unwavering defense is in total alignment with her coach’s expectations. After a hesitant start in Ligue 2, the newly promoted Nice team quickly found its footing and climbed to fifth place. Enough to foster some hopes after four consecutive victories: “we hope to secure one of the top four spots to qualify for the play-offs and compete for promotion.”
A born leader
Comfortable with three-pointers this year, it is her penetrations in the paint that have made her successful. Equipped with a good mid-range shot, her fakes and dribbles have allowed her to become the top scorer on several occasions this season. But where she truly stands out, and her opponents can attest, is in one-on-one defense. Tough, tireless, she only leaves her adversary to allow them to catch a breath on the bench. Stealing numerous balls, she also knows how to run very fast to capitalize on her fast breaks.
Today, Elodie is perfectly integrated, and her relationship with Olga is strong: “she’s tough, but I like that side of her. I appreciate her work ethic.” In the locker room, she is not the last to create a vibrant atmosphere: “I try to boost my teammates.” Even though a severe knee injury to her teammate and friend Swanne Gauthier in Rennes two weeks ago could have disrupted the team’s momentum, it was without counting on CNB 06’s team spirit: “strangely enough, we have never felt so united.”
