Last night at the Leyrit hall in Nice, the Niss’Angels faced Calais. A final victory without shining for the local team with a score of 70-66. This latest win allows them to remain unbeaten at home and take the lead in the championship ahead of Montpellier.
Sloppy Angels but ahead at halftime
The start of the game was complicated for the team from Nice. Calais imposed a pressing and rugged defense on them. The consequence: a slew of turnovers (15 in total for the match) and easy baskets for the visitors. But the team from the north couldn’t widen the gap. Gradually, under the impetus of Laetitia Guapo and Ambrosia Anderson, Nice found their three-point shooting accuracy again and finally had a 6-point lead at the end of the first quarter. 17-11.
The 2nd quarter was a carbon copy of the first. The Niçoises fumbled their basketball and Calais took advantage to catch up with them. Rachid Méziane, the coach for Nice, decided to take a timeout halfway through the second quarter.
His advice seemed to pay off and once again, thanks to Laetitia Guapo, they widened the gap with penetrations and long-range shots. Just before halftime, they regained their 6-point advantage. 36-30 as they headed back to the locker rooms.
A tough quarter
The game gained intensity during the 3rd quarter. Many fouls on both sides and the teams exchanged blows on the free-throw line. The Angels owed their salvation to the lack of shooting accuracy from the Calais team on the line and the awakening of Courtney Hurt and Djéné Diawara.
They dominated the opposing interiors and took the opportunity to score baskets close to the hoop. 53-50 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Only 10 more minutes to hold on.
Unstoppable Diawara and Hurt
At the start of the 4th quarter, the Nice coach gave his key players a rest. Astan Dabo perfectly supplemented Djéné Diawara under the hoop. She finished with 9 points and 12 rebounds.
But the lack of leadership on the court was soon felt. Romy Bar, the captain, missed a pass and Marie-Bernadette Mbuyamba-Tshimanga took advantage to score a fast-break basket with a free throw to follow. She missed her shot but the rebound was recovered by Bethany Doolittle who took the opportunity to score. A 4-point play for Calais but a terrible sequence for the team from Nice. With 5 minutes remaining, the team from the north led by one point. (58-59). It was the moment Rachid Méziane chose to bring Hurt and Diawara back onto the court.
Following a drive and a free throw by Hurt, added to two points from Diawara, the Angels once again had a 5-point lead with less than two minutes remaining. Diawara continued her work under the baskets. She grabbed two offensive rebounds, allowing them to run the clock down. Courtney Hurt took care of finally burying the hopes of the northern team with two free throws.
Hurt finished the game with 15 points and 9 rebounds. Her partner Diawara achieved a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The next meeting for the Angels is set for Saturday, January 6th in Bourges against the French champions. A cleaner performance will be expected to secure a victory.
by Désiré Teivao
