By Jordan Sensi

The INSEP Paris will play the next Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Kaunas during this weekend. It is time for Eurohopes.com to review the first half of the season of this team with a little recap player by player.

The INSEP team, also called "Centre Federal du Basket-Ball" (CFBB), plays for many years in the 3rd French professional division, this way the young guys play against more experienced professional players. A lot of big French players played for the INSEP : Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Evan Fournier, Edwin Jackson and Antoine Diot for example. The roster is made with U18 players (1997-98 born this season) and a few 1999 players can play with them.
The coaches staff this season is composed by Jean-Aimé Toupane who is also the coach of the U20 France National Team, and Jacky Commères, Vincent Collet’s assistant for the France National team since 2009. It is the first year at the INSEP for Toupane and the 6th year for Commères. This season the team plays like the U20 France team played at the Adidas Eurocamp 2014 and at the last U20 Eurobasket, with a lot of ball movement and long systems to find an open shot or a good mismatch.

The players : 

- Stephane GOMBAULD - PF (1997)
This season : 14.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals in 30.5 minutes
The best player of this team, and the go-to-guy. He is the 5th best scorer of the league which is impressive. His scoring versatility is getting better and better, and he is now the second playmaker of the team, dishing passes from the high post thanks to a good court vision and a great passing instinct. Nevertheless he does not take enough rebound this season because he struggles against bigger players and because he is a bit soft. He also turns the ball way too much. But Gombauld is extremly talented and he is still a big prospect in France and in Europe though

- Luc LOUBAKI - SG (1997)
This season : 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.5 steals in 28 minutes
He is already an excellent stopper despite his young age. He can guard 3 positions, and he steals a lot of passes thanks to a great sense of anticipation, he ranks 1st in steals this season ! Offensively he is able to take the PG duties, and he is very good in penetration, can score with both hands. But, he cannot shoot, and has not a great basketball IQ.

- Killian TILLIE - PF (1998)
This season : 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals in 21.5 minutes
The MVP of the last U16 Euro won’t play in Kaunas because of a stress fracture in his foot. He just got his boot off by the way. He only played 4 games this season but it was enough to display his huge potential. Has improved his all-around abilities and his offensive versatility, but he struggles to take rebounds in this very physical league.

- Bathiste TCHOUAFFE - SG (1998)
This season : 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.7 steals in 29.5 minutes
Game after game he is becoming the 2nd offensive option of the team. He has an excellent scoring instinct and is able to score in any position. He just needs to improve his catch-and-shoot percentage. He is also an excellent rebounder for his position. The main concern is about his position, he is strictly a SG and definitely cannot create for others. He needs to work hard on his defense as well.

- Jonathan JEANNE - C (1997)
This season : 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.5 blocks in 22 minutes
Very tall (7’) but extremely skinny (not even 200lbs). He can run, he has a good shooting range, and he gets to the rim very quickly. He has a huge wingspan and he is an intimidator in defense. He simply just cannot battle in the paint, which is of course very bad for a center. Had a HUGE game this season : 23pts (3/4 from 3), 14rbds, 4blks and an index of 36.

- Arthur LEBOEUF - PG (1997)
This season : 3.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals in 21 minutes
The very short (5’9) starting point guard of the team. He runs the pick and roll well and he is able to create for his teammate. He plays hard, battles at the rebound despite his heights, and he puts a great pressure in defense. But, he cannot scores in the paint, has not a reliable shot and loses way too many balls (3 TOs for 2.9 assists)

- Olivier CORTALE - SF (1997) 
This season : 4.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists in 21 minutes
He is not the more talented player of the team by far, but he is the kind of players coaches like. A good role player who never overplays and does everything his coaches ask. He is good in all parts of the game but great in none of these.

- Darel POIRIER C-PF (1997)
This season : 3.8 points, 2 rebounds, 0.7 block in 14.6 minutes
He is the typical big man role player. With limited minutes he has to defend hard at the post, take rebounds, and scores when he is open close to the basket. He is technically very limited, but he does what coaches ask and he plays hard.

- Gregory BENGABER - PG (1997)
This season : 1.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 14 minutes
He lost his back-up point guard spot during this first half of the season. Bengaber is a good athlete, he is super quick with an excellent first. He is able to defend hard on the opponent point guard with a full court press. But, he has poor fundamentals and is a non-factor in offense.

- Timothé VERGIAT - PG (1998)
This season : 3.8 points, 0.8 rebounds, 1 assist in 15 minutes
He earned the back-up point guard spot after a few games this season. He already displayed at the last U16 a good basketball IQ and interesting playmaking abilities. He is not a flashy point guard, and not an athlete but he has a potential as a point guard in Europe.

- Jules RAMBAUT - PF  (1998)
This season : 2.9 points, 2 rebounds in 11 minutes
Rambaut is the 6th big man in INSEP hierarchy, he only played in 8 out of the 15 games so far this season. Rambaut’s role is mainly about setting screen, taking rebound, and trying to take some low post positions. He is one younger than the other big man and will have much more minutes next season, he has an interesting potential.

- Quentin GOULMY - PF  (1998)
This season : 1.5 points, 0.5 rebounds in 9 minutes
He only played in 4 games this season, being the 7th big man in the team hierarchy. He is young, will have minutes next season. Right now, he pays the price of a deep front court rotation with solid player which is bad after an interesting U16 Euro last summer.

- Dimitri DIARA - PG (1998)
This season : 1 point, 1 rebound in 7 minutes
Never played this season. He is a 1998-born player, will have a bigger role next season which will give the possibility to display his talent.


-Photo: ffbb.com

-Twitter of the author: @Jordan_Sensi