Another home victory for the Niss’Angels at Leyrit Hall. They secured a win last night against Hainaut, 77-70, allowing them to continue dreaming of the playoffs.
It was the fourth match in 10 days for the Azuréennes. After their defeat on Wednesday against Charleville-Mézières, they needed a win last night to stay in the playoff race. They faced the Hainaut Basket team, an opponent against whom the Niss’Angels had lost last December. There was a sense of revenge in the air.
The two teams neck and neck
The locals started the game strongly. They scored 10 points in less than three minutes and took the lead. (10-2) Then the Nice team began to falter. Djéné Diawara had to leave the court due to two personal fouls.
To make matters worse, turnovers began to pile up in their offense. As a sign of Nice’s nervousness, Joyce Cousseins-Smith, Hainaut’s point guard, completed a four-point play.
The visitors then drew level. The two teams were tied 19-19 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second act, the Nice players continued to struggle to find their rhythm in attack. The zone defense set up by Hainaut seemed to disrupt them significantly. They committed three turnovers on their first three possessions.
The Northerners took advantage, scoring easy points on fast breaks. But the Angels stayed in the game thanks to the trio of Hind Ben Abdelkader, Djéné Diawara, and Courtney Hurt. They carried their team, and at halftime, they were only two points behind. 35-37
The Nice team more solid in crunch time
Rachid Meziane’s players were once again challenged after the break. They didn’t score for three minutes, and the Northerners quickly took an eight-point lead (35-43).
The Nice team bent but did not break. They came back into the game with a 9-0 run and regained the lead thanks to a three-pointer from Isabelle Strunc (47-45). Cavigal rediscovered a smooth ball movement but struggled with shooting accuracy. The two teams were again tied at the end of the third quarter. (54-54)
The teams continued their battle in the final quarter. The audience at Leyrit Hall witnessed an exciting back-and-forth. However, the Hainaut team was four points ahead with three minutes remaining in the match. (64-68)
Then came the brilliant moment of Laetitia Guapo. With a three-pointer from the left corner, she brought her team within one point. Then, with a mid-range shot, she gave Cavigal the lead. She would score 9 of her team’s last 13 points, well supported by Courtney Hurt. The Niss’Angels then created a small gap with less than two minutes left. (71-68). The Azuréennes calmly managed the end of the game to eventually win 77-70.
This victory consolidates their position on the podium of the Women’s Basketball League. They have an appointment next week on the court of Villeneuve d’Ascq, a direct opponent in the playoff contention.
