After two unequal years in Limoges, unfortunately in a decreasing slope, of his first stunning steps in winter 2020 until his status as a supernumerary player in the current workforce, Ludovic Beyhurst (1.72 m, 23 years old) tookThe decision to leave the CSP to go and be astonishing on the lower floor.

Already very close to discovering Pro B in 2019 during an aborted loan in Souffelweyersheim, the child of Geispolsheim will do so under the colors of Sluc Nancy, a Cador of the Division, cut to climb.There, in relay of Mathis Keita at the lead, he should benefit from a real role, all that he no longer had in Limoges, where his atypical profile of little snarling lead was not suitable for the desire of the Italian coach.

Always flawless in attitude and investment in the Saint-Pierre circle, Ludovic Beyhurst quickly established himself as a defensive force in Elite Betclic.His overflowing desire and his intensity have derailed more than an opposing leader.But the bank injured in attack, where the Alsatian could not cross a level, a particularly cruel stagnation in his statistics (from 6.8 points to 49% in 2019/20 to 1.6 points at 21% this season).Little released, by his own admission, under the leadership of the Transalpine technician, the former sign of the SIG Strasbourg may manage to loosen the handbrake in Pro B. Eager to put on the costume of the manager, he disputedIts first nine minutes almost at the foot raised Tuesday in Lille (2 rebounds and 2 assists).He will discover his new audience this Saturday against Antibes, best defense of the championship.A real good first challenge to take the measure of the anteroom.

The first entry of Ludovic Beyhurst in Pro B (Photo: Antoine Bodelet)

Ludovic, you come out of your first match with Sluc Nancy in Lille (interview carried out Wednesday, editor's note).How did it go?

Collectively, rather well with a good reaction in the second half, especially defensively.We come back with victory, against a team that remained on three successes in a row.So it's cool!Individually, I could have done a little better, I had good passages and some a little less good.It will take a little time to adapt, I had only done one and a half training.

It is surely a little just to assess the specifics of the Pro B, a championship that you do not know, but what did you think?Is this in accordance with what you expected?

It is a completely different game.This is only my first match so I can't learn real lessons, but I have the impression that it plays with more freedom, more speed too.On this match, there was more transitional games and counterattacks than what I could know in Betclic Élite.But that's what I was told too, I was explained to me that it was a little less organized and more based on higher individual freedoms in Pro B.

But you, is it a game that can suit you?

Well yes, the coach also brought me in relation to that, to bring more games and easy baskets.I think it can suit me a little more.

"We experience things when we are in Limoges"

If we go back a little, how did this transfer in full season go between Limoges and Nancy?

It was done fairly quickly.I was in lack of playing time, I almost no longer played with Limoges.On the side of Nancy, the coach wanted to expand his workforce, for the mounted objective, because Mathis Keita was alone at the lead.He needed a really different profile from that of Mathis.For once, I think we can be very complementary.It was done very simply.After the postponement of the Limoges match - Pau, I left directly and I arrived on Saturday evening.We quickly visited the medical visit and all the papers at 6.30 p.m. so that I can be qualified.I saw the infrastructure, we made a training and directly the journey to Lille.I was quickly put in the bath but it is not worse.It was a bit tiring but I'm very happy in the end.

Through the new coach, Massimo Cancellieri, more adept at a profile of a great and physical leader, Limoges no longer counted on you and had opened the door to a departure for several months ... it had become time ofDo you go?

For me, there was no question of leaving this summer.I didn't want to go like this.But at one point, as a young player, we want to play so if an opportunity allowed me to have more playing time, I was going to grasp it.And there, that was the case with Nancy, a very good, structured club, with a real climb project.I find it very interesting for me.And for Limoges, they are surely happy as it has ended, it may be beneficial for them

This is the end of a two -year adventure with the CSP in the end.Inevitably the type that mark a career?

Ah yes, completely!We experience things when we are in Limoges (he laughs).There is always an event, always something going on.It is true that I had a particular attachment with the supporters from the start.I was made to feel very welcome and it went super well when I arrived.It is clear that it was really special.Even if there have been really difficult passages, ups and downs, I will keep great memories.Limoges will remain very striking for me, it is two years that will serve me for the future.

Here in October 2020, Ludo Beyhurst played 61 games in all competitions with the CSP (photo: Lilian Bordron)

When you arrive, on loan from Strasbourg, you had surprised everyone and seduced Beaublanc with your energy and your aggressiveness.Was it the golden period?

It's true.With regard to the Limougeaud public, my temperament and my game stuck perfectly with their mentality.I was told that from the moment the players give themselves thoroughly, Beaublanc loves.There, even after my departure, I still receive a lot of messages from supporters who liked my characteristics.This period was very striking for me: I had also experienced difficult times in Strasbourg and find this new momentum at the CSP, it was great.

But last season, you did not really confirm the promises of your arrival.What were the reasons?Competition, a different style, a lack of confidence, a more advanced scouting of opposing teams?

I think it's a little bit a whole. There is the arrival of Phil Scrubb which changes our game, our operation. Before, there was simply a leader and me. There, there was a plus Phil leader, who took a lot of balloons because he was very effective and very strong. Inevitably, it adds a player. There is also a period of two months when I do not play: I hurt myself and I grab the covid just after my first recovery training. It was not negligible, I could not regain confidence. And then, since we were in a slightly more negative spiral in terms of results ... Also, if they could have been surprised during my first six months in Limoges, the opponents were waiting for me a little more and Maybe knew me better. So really, I think it's a whole. There is no particular reason that I can give. I think it cost me after: the coach who came after (Massimo Cancellieri) had to watch that season and for him, I was not in the plans.

Was it not over-regime in your first six months in Limoges?

Maybe.Frankly, perhaps, I don't have a single explanation to give.For me, it's really a set of things.

"This season, I failed to free myself"

This season, watching you play, from the outside, we could have the impression that you were paralyzed by Massimo Cancellieri?

Tétanized, I don't think it's the word.But I think I did not manage to free myself when I played.It was more a mental problem than anything else.I made a lot of mistakes and I did not use the little time that I had wisely.It was a vicious circle afterwards.I was not simply released.It was complicated ...

Apart from your case, Limoges is one of the great surprises of the season ... The CSP collective impresses.Why is this team so special?

In effect.In terms of cohesion, it is really a very united group.We can see him defensively, where there was a big job in fact.Tactically, the coach is really very good on scouting of opposing teams and I think he can get the best of everyone compared to that.Nobody expected us at this level but I think we knew how to make the difference defensively.And in scoring, we have Nico (Lang) who remains very present, Demonte (Harper) which is very strong in power.But above all, defensively, we have a very solid group at the athletic level and from the scouting point of view too.For me, these are the keys to this season's success.

And a small phenomenon against whom you trained daily, C.J. Massinburg ...

Very strong player, yes ... he is very complete.At first, he may not have this regularity on shots but he worked with Yacine (Aouadi), the individual coach.He is someone very physical, who has a fairly large penetration force.It can be shifted on certain supports, very strong on the mid-strain.No really, he's super complete.He can take a lot of rebounds.He is a versatile player who is really impressive.

On 640 minutes possible this season, Beyhurst spent only 87 on the parquet floor (photo: GPJ)

If the Limougeaud collective is strong, that of Nancy is not so bad either.What are your first impressions?

Suddenly, I had watched their last games a little.The workforce is now very complete, with Stéphane Gombauld as a dominant player.In the racket, it can very well end with its long segments.Rebound, it can also be very impressive.There are also shooters like Antony Labanca or Lucas Ugolin.With Mathis Keita who perfectly turns the shop.From what I saw, it is a group that goes well the ball.There are certainly very good players but a real collective game fund.

Precisely, you mentioned Stéphane Gombauld.You met a bit at INSEP ...

In effect.I talked a lot with him before signing.I knew the phenomenon a little.When we were in INSEP, he walked on the N1.He is a player who likes to receive the ball at the heart of the racket, on the shorts or the mid-roins.He likes to put two - three dribbles before finishing, in different ways.Compared to the other players in his size, his mobility makes him dominant.

At the time, he was considered the greatest potential of the 1997 generation before marking.Are you surprised by the dimension he is taking?

To be honest, I am not really.I really saw him walk on the national 1. Afterwards, yes, there is a gap with the pro world.I think he got into maturity.He reproduces what he was doing in N1 but with more maturity, more intelligence.As he said in his interview, his passage in Serbia did him a lot of good.Its qualities remained the same, but even stronger.So, that's why it doesn't surprise me.

"I want to take pleasure in playing basketball, quite simply"

Do you already know what your role will be?Offer an additional rotation to Mathis Keita to the lead, and keep this famous Energizer side?

There you have it.The coach absolutely wanted to bring faster players into the team with a view to imposing more transitional games and defensive pressure.But honestly, I have only done two training sessions for now so I don't know exactly what I'm going to do.Apart from a few Plays, we didn't have too much time to chat.But yes, it is really this idea of arriving in Energizer, bringing fast game to the team and being intense in defense.From what the guys told me, defensively, they were able to know a few holes before and that is what made the difference in the matches they lost.This is really where I will be able to show what I can do.

What do you expect from these six months individually?

I want to enjoy playing basketball, quite simply.And play what.Afterwards, what interests me in this experience is to take part in matches that matter.If we do not pick up first place, playing the playoffs could be a very good experience.I only played very few playoff meetings in my career, two or three with Strasbourg (three, editor's note), so that is very few cup matches in the end.In my young career, it would be important to be able to experience this.

In which areas would you like to progress to become a real pro player in its own right?

I have this side of Energizer but I would also like to be a little more in control, especially on the management of attacks.This is where I will try to focus for this second part of the season, where I want to go.

With the SLUC, current third of Pro B, Beyhurst aims at the rise in Elite Betclic (photo: Antoine Bodelet)

SLUC Nancy is a little detonated in Pro B. Do you feel a club obsessed with the idea of going up and regaining its rank?

Obsessed, I don't know but the goal is clear anyway.I was not lied to tell me that the club would be satisfied with a third place for example.No, the goal is really to go up.I discovered the infers a few days ago.Just by seeing the room, we tell ourselves that this club is made for the Elite Betclic.I was chatting with Enzo (Goudou-Sinha) moreover recently who told me exactly the same thing.There is a very big expectation compared to that.

For you who followed French basketball when you were young, is it a name that must mean something in your eyes?At that time, the SLUC was on the roof of the championship ...

Yes, but I was fully behind the GIS!But indeed, when I was young, Nancy, it was the Euroleague.They were the John Linehan, Randal Falker, Tremmell Darden, Ricardo Greer ... I also remember the Tariq Kirksay era.When I grew up, the SLUC was really a stronghold of French basketball.

Precisely, you, the Alsatian, is it going in Lorraine?

(He laughs) Yes, there is no problem, that's fine.I was still told a little of the East derbies.But in our profession, the rivalries, apart from the Pau - Limoges which are a little special ... There is no ambiguity.Afterwards, I was not failed to chambered me compared to Alsace - Lorraine.But it was nice.