TGB: pain in Chartres, but happiness before the holidays

Eliminated this week from the European Cup by the Germans of Keltern, the TGB is there in the championship.

This Saturday evening, François Gomez's team concluded the year with a 79-81 victory at the bottom of Chartres, where they had already won their ticket to the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France with a success 47-61. At vacation time, the Pyrenees have a positive ratio (6 wins, 5 losses) and can look forward to 2025 with relish.

With a decisive Musa (22 points) at the end of the match, the TGB fulfilled its mission in Eure-et-Loir. But with Camille Droguet having the flu, she had to fight against an opponent who put up a lot of resistance, putting out a performance that was much better than her last place. “Chartres makes life difficult for all its opponents and has a place in the Women's League for many reasons. We knew it was going to happen like this, that they had the knife to their throats and that they wouldn't give up. You had to be at that level. We weren’t quite there, but the girls did the job,” underlines the TGB coach.

From the first quarter, the Tarbaises were hooked. Behind the 3-point line, Debaut and Eldebrink responded to Sivka. Inside the racket, Enabosi and Niaré responded to Zodia. Neither team managed to break away in this act where the gap never rose to more than three units. Musa, discreet until now, however came out of his box and allowed TGB to take the lead (17-20).
Better, with two long-distance baskets from Strunc and Sivka, his third personal 100% success, the Pyrenees signed the first break of the game (19-27).

The return of Endy Miyem

Zodia and Musa then took charge of maintaining this advantage, laying down the law within the circle. The TGB's dominance proved ephemeral. Chartres didn't give up and took advantage of a few ball losses to get back on track (35-36). Miyem and Sikva may have fired from afar, but it wasn't enough. Because opposite, Debaut looked stratospheric behind the line. The leader-back brought her team back in the wake of Tarbes then tipped her team in the lead to the gong at the end of this first half where the success had been insolent: 58% on shots on each side, 85% at 3 points for Chartres and 67% for Tarbes!

“We played well in attack, but we took too many points in the first half. 44 is not normal. In the second half, it was better in defense and we were able to count on “MJ” and the return of Endi Miyem who we had not yet seen at this level since she joined us », continues François Gomez.

When we returned from the locker room, the pace was still intense. But the part is actually a little less offensive.
Because the TGB was finally tightening its defensive grip. Only the Pyrenees found the basket less easily, Droguet notably increasing the number of missed free throws. They were unable to overcome a Chartres team which remained glued to its heels when attacking the last quarter (57-60).

Despite the pressure from the public, Tarbes initially kept the lead with a lot of work from Miyem (16 points in total). But Debaut (6/7 at 3 pts, 22 pts) put Chartres back in front with a new three-point basket (70-69).
Musa then had to take charge, scoring four baskets in a row, for TGB to take the money-time lead (77-79).

In this last minute, Droguet was sent back to the free throw line. At the best of times, she finally brought them in (3/12 in total) to move to +4. An interception from Musa later, Tarbes held on to their victory (79-81).

Chartres 79-Tarbes GB 81

QT : 17-20, 27-22, 13-18, 22-21.
Referees: V. Oliot, V. Voyeau, S. Blondeau.
C’Chartres : 28 successful shots out of 53 (including 10/18 three-pointers); 13 successful free throws out of 18; 25 rebounds; 17 assists; 21 lost bullets; 11 interceptions; 1 against; 22 personal fouls.
Les points : Elenga 2, Eldebrink 13, Marie (cap.) 5, Le Seyec 1, Enabosi 15 ; (puis) Colas 10, Bruce –, Legrand 2, Niare 4, Mahoutou 5, Debaut 22.

Tarbes Buckle Bigorre : 29 successful shots out of 48 (including 8/14 three-pointers); 15 successful free throws out of 27; 26 rebounds; 21 assists; 19 lost balls; 12 interceptions; 1 against; 17 personal fouls.
1 player eliminated: Fora.
Points: Droguet (cap.) 3, Musa 21, Zodia 10, Sivka 15, Fora 8; (then) Strunc 8, Monasse 0, Ewodo –, Miyem 16.