The Cavigal Nice Women’s Basketball Club faced Aix-en-Provence on Wednesday, January 25th. Starting at 8 p.m., the match was spectacular, enough to make the finals envious.
Twenty minutes before the start, the girls are training. Warm-ups, stretches… the concentration is at its peak. Leyrit hall fills up quickly. And then… silence. The basketball players face each other, the referee throws the ball, and the game begins. Within a minute, two baskets have already been scored by Cavigal.
In the stands, the atmosphere is more vibrant than ever. With yellow and red striped scarves and flags in hand, Aix’s supporters beat drums in rhythm with the dribbling. The drumming is loud and harsh when the ball is in the Niçoise players’ hands but quick and cheerful as the Aix players approach the basket.
Effective synchronization! The visitors catch up quickly. Faced with this increase in power, Cavi’s coach, Serge Provillard, calls a timeout. The score shows 6-4 in favor of Aix. Things are not looking good. Annoyed, he starts a discussion to re-energize the girls. And encouragement is not lacking. With loud voices, the spectators get excited. Within five minutes, both sides are rivaling in noise intensity. Screams on one side, drums on the other. The first quarter ends swiftly with a score of 19 for Nice and 14 for Pays d’Aix.
Far from being over, the game offers a surprise for the home team. Less than three minutes after the resumption, the gap widens further. Cavigal dominates the opponent 28 to 15. Still effervescent, the public doubles in decibels. Voices rise: “Go Cavigal!” Another unexpected event: the referees whistle too often against the Niçoise team for the taste of the fans. The opposing applause now faces cries of protest: “No fouls! Why is he whistling? It’s not fair!”
With the return of Petiteau, the game gets physical. And the arrival of American player Maslowski (19 points tonight), who declares she feels good in her new team, only reinforces Cavi’s level. Indeed, neither coach denies it: “We expected the confrontation to be tough.” Dynamic, aggressive, skilled, the players give their best. For Nice, victory would mean moving up to the 12th place in the rankings. After a tough period, nothing better!
Not a minute to waste. Everything happens very fast. They must not let their guard down. Especially since one opponent is causing them trouble: number 5, Kostaki (22 points).
A sound rings out, and it’s the end of the first half. The scores are still positive for Cavigal: 43-35. The break is an opportunity to refresh and regain strength because the game is only halfway through.
Patience, patience…
It’s under the “hoorahs” of the supporters that the third quarter begins. Whistles, fouls called on the Niçois side. And again, the anger of the spectators. The temperature rises. They contest but in vain. The match continues. A now tightly contested match.
Very determined, the basketball players give themselves no respite. Despite repeated falls, each continues with determination. Under the coaches’ directives, they have only one goal in mind: to win! And to achieve this, all means are good: strength of throw, surprise effects, speed, agility…
The end of the third quarter rings. More recommendations, more tactical changes, and it’s off again for the final sprint! With a score of 58 to 57, nothing is decided. Anything can happen. This is what the Aix players hope, at least. The suspense is at its peak. In two minutes, each team has 60 points. A final timeout at 2:03 from the conclusion, last pieces of advice from the coaches. The moment is crucial. The outcome of the match is approaching rapidly. 3… 2… 1… It’s bliss for the Niçois. Cavigal wins 78 to 69. The team moves up to the 12th place. For the captain, Emilie Petiteau (14 points), “victory is the best reward we could have.” The evening concludes with an aperitif. But the work is not finished yet. This is at least what Serge Provillard explains: “I am very happy. But we must not stop there.” Next duel: February 11th, against Saint-Amand-les-Eaux.
