The Nice team conceded defeat last night on their home court against Montpellier with a score of 81-69. This was their first loss at home, marked by Montpellier’s remarkable three-point shooting success.
There are evenings like that when the basketball hoop seems as wide as the Grand Canyon. That was the case last night for the team from Hérault, making no less than 11 three-point shots out of 19 attempts. Notably, Sara Michel scored 6 out of 8 in this exercise.
Yet at halftime, the Niss’Angels were ahead on the scoreboard. It was 36-35 for Rachid Meziane’s players, thanks in particular to Courtney Hurt who scored 11 points in the first two quarters.
A nightmare third quarter for the Niss’Angels
Upon returning from the locker room, the Montpellier players decided to accelerate. They inflicted a terrible 10-0 run on the Azureans in less than 3 minutes. Courtney Hurt, Romy Bar, and Isabelle Strunc tried their best to keep the Nice team afloat.
They managed to stay within shooting distance of their opponents, but Jenna O’Hea’s three-pointer at the buzzer dealt a significant blow to the Azureans. It was 62-52 in favor of Montpellier before the fourth quarter, with 9 three-point shots already made.
The Angels started the final period well with two baskets from Courtney Hurt, pulling them back within 6 points (56-62). But once again, the Hérault team responded by delivering another 10-0 run against the Nice players, notably with two three-pointers from Sara Michel.
The end of the match was a torment for the Azureans. They struggled against an aggressive defense that allowed no shooting windows and no easy passes. Courtney Hurt continued to score baskets, but she was far too alone. She ended up with 21 points, but it marked the third consecutive defeat for Nice.
Let’s hope the break benefits the Niss’Angels, who will have two weeks to reassess before facing Lyon on February 28.
by Désiré Teivao
