The Niss’Angels are champions of France’s second division and will play in the Women’s League next season. In the final, the team from Nice easily defeated Roche Vendée 67-57. Their captain, Marie-Eve Paget, was named MVP.
They did it, and in what a manner! The club had set two goals at the beginning of the season: securing the top spot in the regular season to host the final tournament and winning it to return to the elite of French basketball. A hard-fought victory against Limoges (67-55) on Saturday followed by an easy win against Roche Vendée on Sunday brings Rachid Méziane’s team back alongside Bourges, Montpellier, and others, a year later.
The first few minutes of the match were intense on both sides. The speed of the Niçoises made a difference early on with Strunc hitting a three-pointer (5-2, 2nd minute). But the Yonnaises responded with a 7-0 run thanks to their captain Tayeau and center Dia (7-9, 5th minute). At the end of the quarter, fouls accumulated on both sides. Isabelle Strunc was substituted due to two personal fouls. Cavigal scored seven consecutive points from free throws, but Roche Vendée came back, leaving the score tied (18-18).
The beginning of the second quarter was entirely in favor of Rachid Méziane’s team, which managed a 7-0 run with baskets from Shenita Landry and Janelle Bekkering (25-18, 13th minute). Well-held until then, Marie-Eve Paget took advantage of her repositioning to point guard to score her first points. The defense of Nice, as throughout the season, did an exceptional job and kept Roche Vendée scoreless for almost five minutes. Astan Dabo made a block followed by a basket, giving Cavigal the biggest lead of the match (32-22, 18th minute). A long-distance basket by Bekkering ended the scoring at the very end of the period (36-27).
At the return from the locker room, Cavigal had a 6-0 run. The speed of the Paget-Bekkering-Landry trio dealt damage to the Vendéennes, who appeared to be already flagging. The Canadian-Dutch Bekkering continued her impressive performance and already counted 14 points in less than 25 minutes (46-32, 24th minute). Back on the court after being rested, Isabelle Strunc hit consecutive three-pointers, bringing the Leyrit crowd to its feet (56-36, 27th minute). The introduction of the energetic Traoré caused some problems for the Nice backcourt, but the gap was already significant by the end of the third quarter (58-40).
Ten minutes from victory, Marie-Eve Paget’s teammates slackened defensively. Laetitia Guapo scored a basket, then there was nothing from Nice for four and a half minutes (60-47, 34th minute). In the paint, Carmona and Dia sparked for Roche Vendée while the other center, Ngosiya, picked up her fifth foul. With one minute left, captain Paget closed out any suspense with a three-pointer. The Leyrit fans could erupt in celebration of their champions. Logically, Marie-Eve Paget was named the tournament’s best player by journalists.
“It’s the culmination of long-term work. Today (this Sunday, Editor’s Note), there was a battle to win, the rebounding one, and we did it (9 offensive rebounds). Thanks to the fans, we felt uplifted in crucial moments,” smiled Rachid Méziane a few minutes after receiving the trophy.
