Great victory last night for the Cavigal girls against Charleville-Mézières with a score of 73-67. A precious win that allows them to strengthen their position on the podium of the Women’s Basketball League and move a little closer to the playoffs.
Desire, energy, and character. That’s what allowed the Niss’Angels to triumph over a talented Charleville team. A remarkable performance from Rachid Meziane’s players, but the success was slow to take shape.
The Angels on an alternating current
In the first half, the Nice players alternated between good and bad. The good came when they managed to put together a 9-0 run at the end of the first quarter thanks to a superb series of three-point shots. 21-17 in favor of the locals.
In the second quarter, the Azuréennes continued their momentum by quickly scoring 4 points. And then nothing… Rachid Meziane’s players wouldn’t score a single point for four minutes! The Nice team lacked aggression in defense. In offense, their lack of accuracy was detrimental. The Ardennes team took advantage, delivering a terrible 16-0 run to take the lead for the first time in the match. (25-33)
The Nice players weathered the storm. They managed to come back at the end of the quarter. Ambrosia Anderson and Hind Ben Abdelkader regained their three-point accuracy, allowing Cavigal to lead at halftime. 36-35
A victory earned in pain
Upon returning from the locker room, the game balanced out. During the first half of the third quarter, the two teams exchanged blow for blow. However, the Ardennes team showed more consistency. They capitalized on the Nice team’s defensive issues (and the absence of Ambrosia Anderson, who was affected by a knee injury) to take the lead at the end of the third act. 51-56. The end of the match promised to be tense.
The tension on the court was palpable. A three-point shot by Laetitia Guapo allowed the Azuréennes to come within two points (54-56). Shortly afterward, the Angels lost two balls. Charleville took advantage to gain a 7-point lead with 5 minutes left in the match (54-61).
But the Nice players, driven by a heated crowd, showed tenacity and courage to gradually catch up to their opponents. They put together a 9-0 run and regained the lead thanks to a long-distance shot from Isabelle Strunc (63-61). In defense, Djéné Diawara frustrated the Ardennes attackers with a series of blocks and interceptions.
In the final minutes, the visitors would score only 3 points while the Azuréennes scored 10. They finally won with a score of 73-67, marking their tenth home victory.
The next meeting for Cavigal is on Sunday on the court of Toulouse.
