Talk about luxury. Or should that be talk about picking your poison.

US Valenciennes Olympic coach Laurent Buffard has six players averaging nearly in double figures.

Actually it's seven but Kelly Miller has been out injured.

Yes, the 2002 and 2004 champions USVO are again loaded with talent. Still, Buffard doesn't have the superstars that past USVO teams have been dotted with - such as the likes of Ann Wauters and others.

One year after losing to Ros Casares in the eighth-finals, Buffard's steadying force so far this season has been Sandra Le Drean.

The French international forward ranks second on the team in scoring (12.9 points), fourth in rebounds (4.4), second in assists (4.2) and first in steals (2.0).

		Sandrine Gruda is averaging 13.6 ppg for USVO

And it's the experience of Le Drean as well as veteran team-mates Kristi Harrower, Vedrana Grgin Fonseca and Slobodanka Tuvic - averaging 29.5 years in age - which helps calms the nerves of the young trio of talented youngsters Sandrine Gruda, Jennifer Digbeu and Sylvie Gruzczynski – average age 18.3.

Not to mention the nerves of Coach Buffard.

But Buffard, who has also been appointed coach of the Belgian women's national team, actually hasn't had too many headaches in USVO's run to the Final Four.

"Our coach doesn't let us relax," said Australian international playmaker Harrower. "It's a professional approach, and it's getting into our younger players."

The French powers breezed through the first round with a 9-1 record in Group C. The only loss came at fellow Final Four side Lietuvos Telekomas of Lithuania.

Along the way, USVO got their revenge from last season by knocking off Spanish side Ros Casares 66-49 to lock up the City of Valencia Trophy in early January.

USVO's balance showed again in the first game of the eighth-finals as five players scored at least 11 points as Valenciennes romped past Italian side Famila Schio 95-60 at home.  

In Italy, Tuvic paced five players again with at least 11 points as USVO were up by 20 at half-time on their way to an 84-70 victory and a place in the quarter-finals.

Buffard's side didn't let up against MKB Euroleasing Sopron in the last eight, pulling ahead 36-16 after one period as they walloped the Hungarians 92-55 in the first game.

The team's leading scorer Gruda paced the French with 21 points - one of four USVO players in double figures.

In the second game, MKB gave the French all they could handle before succumbing 74-69. The Hungarians went ahead by 10 points late in the first half, but fell behind by 10 points 62-52 early in the fourth before mounting a late come-back.

But Harrower's 20 points, six rebounds and nine assists as well as 14 points and seven rebounds from Gruda and 12 points by Tuvic were too much for the Hungarians.

Next up for Buffard and his team is Gambrinus Sika Brno in the Final Four.

The French league leaders overcame an eight-point third-quarter deficit in their domestic showdown with rivals Bourges to win 74-64 and give them even more confidence going into the Final Four.

"We could not have dreamed of a better rehearsal for the Final Four," Le Drean said.

Remaining to be seen is which poison Buffard offers his Final Four opponents. He has more than a handful of options. What a luxury.