Last night, Cavigal Nice Basket faced Tarbes in a vital match for survival. Still at the bottom with a two-point deficit against Mondeville and three behind Arras, the first non-relegation team, Rachid Méziane’s players needed to respond with 8 games left in the championship.
With only one victory at Leyrit since the beginning of the season, Nice supporters have not been spoiled by their basketball players so far. As for the spectacle, things are not very glorious either, with only an average of 56 points per home game. The reception of Tarbes, also in difficulty, was therefore an opportunity to excite the locals.
The start of the match is tense, the teams know that a defeat could be dramatic in the race for survival. The stakes took precedence over the play, and players on both sides showed shooting errors and committed numerous fouls.
The game is tight, but Kristen Brooke Sharp seems to be having a good day and lands a fantastic 3-point shot from more than 10 meters at the buzzer in the last second of the 1st quarter. Nice leads 14 to 12, and the azure leader has already scored 8 points.
The second quarter resembles the first, with the teams going blow for blow, chaining errors and opportunities are rare. But when they present themselves, Cavigal scores. Rachid Méziane’s players take a 4-point lead, and Nice controls. The match is not of a very high level, the two teams are closely matched, but Nice seems slightly superior.
When one team succeeds, the other responds immediately. But Christelle Diallo is in good form with her 9 points, allowing Cavigal to stay ahead. However, Tarbes keeps up with the score, not giving up. At halftime, the score is 27 to 26 for the Azureans, and the misses from Tarbes suggest that luck is on Nice’s side this time.
Cavigal starts this second half well, thanks to a strong period from Katerina Zohnova, who makes all her shots. But this 3rd quarter will turn in favor of Tarbes, who will string together three-point baskets and take advantage of Cavigal’s defensive slackness.
Tarbes gradually takes the lead, and Nice can’t catch up. A disputable refereeing decision will irritate the sparsely filled Leyrit venue. The following action ends with another three-pointer from Tarbes, cutting the legs of the Azureans, and the visitors finish the 3rd quarter with an 8-point lead (48-40). Once again, Nice’s third quarter is complicated and greatly hinders their chances.
The last quarter starts very badly, and the deficit quickly seems insurmountable when Nice falls behind by 12 points. With 7 minutes and 30 seconds of play left, Cavigal lags 44 to 56. Kristen Brooke Sharp and Christelle Diallo awaken by rediscovering their early game enthusiasm, reducing the gap to 4 points with 2 minutes remaining.
The Leyrit venue raises its voice at the end of the match, but Tarbes will show realism as the Nice women rush to catch up. The gap widens again, and the final score is 71 to 62 for Tarbes.
The future is bleak for the Azureans, who string together a 7th consecutive defeat in the league and also a 7th consecutive home defeat. Cavigal must now find victory again and hope for underperformances from their direct rivals to avoid relegation. In short, it looks complicated.
