TGB – EuroCup: with a 15-point defeat, the Tarbaises had a bad operation in Germany before the return match

In the sport of basketball, when the orange ball does not fit into the basket, everything becomes complicated. This is essentially what happened to TGB last night, in Germany, for their 32nd EuroCup final first leg.
While we were writing, in presentation of this meeting, about Tarbaises launched on the autobahn of the EuroCup final stages, the TGB players simply stalled at the toll booth. Like the first possession closed by a lost ball from captain Camille Droguet.

At the start of the match where both teams were lacking skill, it was Jess-Mine Zodia who scored the first points of the game (0-2, 2nd). Behind, the Germans found an immediate response thanks to Gilles, behind the arc (3-2). If Murjanatu Musa sets the target twice (3-6, 5th) and gives her teammates a small lead, the locals inflict an 8-0 on François Gomez's players to finish the first quarter in the lead. A lead of only 3 points (13-10), thanks to Nancy Fora's buzzer-beating shot, stopped the bleeding on the TGB side. Far from being spectacular, this first quarter will have mainly served as an observation round and, with 5 lost balls and a shooting skill of 31%, including 0/5 at 3 points, the Tarbaises could consider themselves happy with the result.

Because from the start of the second quarter, Camille Droguet and her teammates showed a different face. A more offensive face which allows them to take back the reins of the meeting. The TGB captain, thanks to her team's first winning basket, puts the two teams back to back (15-15, 12th) before Musa and Zodia increase the score (17-21, 15th). A lead of four points which even rose to six, before the Teutones reacted thanks to Rosic and Rusk, who brought theirs back just before half-time (24-25).

A fateful 13-0 run

Despite an almost catastrophic first half in terms of skill, optimism could be in order for the Tarbaises. Except that the third quarter turns into a nightmare. The fault lies with the Germans who find their way to the basket, facing the Tarbaises and a François Gomez without solution on the bench. This is evidenced by this choice of leaving Barahman, still in difficulty on the floor, during the last 6 minutes of the third quarter. Six minutes during which the TGB suffered a scathing 15-5. By going from +2 to –8, the Bigourdanes lose momentum. And the first possessions of the fourth quarter confirm the trend.

Behind the arc, the Germans knocked down long-range shots and took an advantage that would never be filled. Even though Camille Droguet responds to the locals, Konstantinova and Rosic leave no hope for the French visitors (50-39, 32nd). With 11 points behind and eight minutes to play, in a match without address, the mass seems said. And seeing the behavior of the Tarbaises, who left no less than 4 offensive rebounds before being punished at long distance by Muzet, the impression of a rout is confirmed.

In the end, the Violettes are 15 points behind before the return match on Wednesday at the Quai de l'Adour. And the performance displayed across the Rhine does not encourage optimism for qualification. Even so, against the Germans, the Tarbaises lost a battle, certainly not the war.