Dem Lou Demuth seng Carrière an Amerika huet dësen Summer ugefaange. Den Lou huet vir d’lescht beim Gréngewald Hueschtert, an der Nationale 2, an vir U20 Härennationalequippe gespillt.
Den 2.13m groussen Center fillt sech wuel zu Chicago. Ufanks war et schwéier aus dem klengen Lëtzebuerg sech u säin neit Liewen ze gewinnen. « Ech krut vun Ufank u gesot, dass meng Roll an der Equippe eng grouss wäert sinn. Obwuel ech kee Leader sinn, géif ech awer soen, dass ech een besseren 6ten Mann vir d’Equippe sinn ».
D’Spillaart a Weis ass eng ganz aner wéi an Europa. « Et ass immens physesch, wourunner ech mech am Ufank mol hu missten gewinnen. Ech hunn der Pandemie ofgeholl an dowéinst sinn ech momentan physesch net esou staark. Dat ass awer eppes wourunner ech schaffen wëll a muss. Op menger Positioun muss ech staark sinn vir géint meng Géigner kënnen matzehalen ».
Vir déi physesch Stäerkt ze kréien, kritt de Lou extra Hëllef. « Eisen a Konditiouns- a Kraafttrainer huet mam Luol Deng (NBA Spiller) geschafft. Hie war säin perséinlechen Coach and huet och nach aaner NBA/NFL Spiller trainéiert, esou dass ech denken, dass hien mech dohi kritt wou mir wëllen 😉 ».
Wat d’Konditiounen bei sengem neien Club ubelaangt, beschreift de Lou alles mat zimmlech professionell. « Ech sinn immens zefridden mat eisen Traineren an mengen Co-Equippieren. Si verstinn meng Situatioun an wëssen dass ech Zäit brauch mech un déi nei Aart a Weis hei an Amerika ze gewinnen ».
Wei iwwerall, ass Covid19 bedéngt och eng schwéier Situatioun vir de Lou Demuth an déi ganz Basketssaison.« Mir haten an hunn nach ëmmer e puer Covid Fäll an der Equippe. Dat mëscht et schwéier ze trainéieren, mir hunn meeschtens just 7-8 Leit um Training. Mir missten souguer déi éischt zwee Matcher vun der Saison ofsoen woubäi et och ganz kloer ass, dass d’Saison zu all Moment komplett kann ofgesot ginn. Momentan spillen mir just géint Equippen déi bei eis an der Ëmgéigend leien. Mir liewen och an enger Bubble, dat heescht, dassen mir mam Bus op d’Matcher fueren an och am Hotel vun aneren Leit isoléiert sinn. Déi Equippen géint déi mir elo spillen, sinn « just » 600-700 Km vun eis fort, mee dat wäert sech méi spéit an der Saison änneren. Dann wäerten mir erëm duerch d’ganzt Land fueren vir Matcher ze spillen. Mir hunn keng aner Méiglechkeet wéi dat Bescht aus der Situatioun ze maachen an se esou ze huelen wéi se ass ».
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Lou Demuth has started playing and studying in the United States this summer. Demuth lastly played for Gréngewald Hueschtert in the Nationale 2 and in the the FLBB’s U20 national team.
The 2.13 m tall center is „feeling well » in Chicago although it was difficult to adapt his new life to this big city coming from Luxembourg as he says. „Early on, I have been told that my role in the team will be a big one. Although I am not the leader of the team, I would say that I am like a better 6th man for our team.“
The game is different compared to the European playing style. „We play extremely physical, I have to get used to this playing style. I have lost a lot of weight during the pandemic and therefore I am not physically strong at the moment. However, I am working in this area and I want to be much stronger soon which is necessary at my position playing against big men.“
In order to get into better physical shape, Lou is getting professional help: „Our strenght and conditioning coach has worked with Luol Deng (NBA player) as his personal trainer and he also coached other NBA/NFL players so that I am hoping he will fix my strenght problems 😉 « , says Lou Demuth with a laugh.
When it comes to the conditions at his new club, Lou describes it as very professional. „I am very satisfied with our coaches and my team mates, they have a lot of understanding about my situation and know that I will need time to adapt to the United States. »
Like everywhere else, the Covid-19-virus is also complicating the situation for Lou Demuth and his basketball season. „We had Covid-cases on our team and we still do. This makes it complicated, we often only have 7-8 guys to practice. We had to cancel the first 2 games of the season and it is clear that the season can be cancelled at any moment. At the moment, we play only against teams from our area, we live in a bubble in the bus and hotel in order to be isolated from other people. Right now, teams are « only » 600-700 kilometers away from us, but that will change later in the season and we will have to travel through the country to play games. We have no other choice than to make the best out of the situation and take the situation how it is. We just try to make the best out of it. »
Lou’s stats in the first games, the team has lost all 5 games so far –> stats_Lou_Demuth
Picture-credit: Chicago State Athletics
An article by the team’s website gocsucougars.com about Lou –> Lou Demtuh’s winding path from Western Europe to Chicago State
Other articles about players in the USA:
Anne Simon is practicing with a mask at the moment
Svenia Nurenberg huet missen um Miniskus operéiert ginn
