WOMEN’S EUROCUPE 2024/2025 – In this return match of the 8th in the Women’s EuroCup final, ESBVA-LM offered its supporters a daunting match against Movistar Estudiantes, a 108-90 victory after 3 overtimes!
After their 10-point defeat in the first leg, ESBVA-LM hosted Movistar Estudiantes at the Palacium with a clear objective: to win by more than 10 points to qualify. Only change on the starting 5, Marie-Eve Paget started the meeting instead of Caroline Hériaud. Carla Leite, Shavonte Zellous, Haley Peters et Aminata Gueye completed the major 5.
The start of the match is from Villeneuvoise, with a Shavonte Zellous (7 points in the 1is quarter) very prominent. The ESBVA quickly takes the lead and is up to 10 points ahead. Unlike the first leg, both teams are clumsy behind the 3-point line and it’s Aminata Gueye who took the opportunity to reap a harvest in the paint with 8 points and 6 rebounds in 10 minutes. Opposite, it is Married Whittle who scores the majority of Spanish points and puts his team back in the match. The 3-point basket Marie-Paule Foppossi and the buzzer beater of Carla Leite give fresh air to Villeneuve-d’Ascq, which is only 4 points ahead of Estudiantes at the end of the 1is quart, 24-20.
Manhandled at the start of 2th quarter, the Villeneuvoises try to get points on the throw line. Carla Leite gets the basket twice and the foul, Marie-Paule Foppossi draw from afar and here is the ESBVA which regains the hair of the beast. However, the shortcomings of the first leg are felt and the formation of Maxime Bézin lets opposing players penetrate the racket too easily. Nevertheless, Villeneuve-d’Ascq manages to put together a nice run 7-2 to take a 10-point lead at halftime, the prerequisite for qualifying for the next round. The counters are reset to 45-35 at the break.
The ESBVA keeps the pace
The second act begins with the same women in the spotlight as at the start of the match, Shavonte Zellous et Aminata Gueye. Post 5 of the ESBVA-LM is playing on eggshells in defense, not having a real replacement at its position on the bench, but already has a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds from the middle of the 3th quarter. The two teams still do not score from far away and have to rely on their attack from the circle, and in this little game it is Villeneuve who is doing the best. The gap rises to +16 for the Northerners, but Frieda Buhner scored some important points that kept Movistar Estudiantes in the game. 61-49 for ESBVA-LM as we enter the last 10 minutes of the match.
Clearly, it’s the evening ofAminata Gueye ! The interior knows how to do everything and even rewards us with a 3-point basket that makes the Palacium of Villeneuve-d’Ascq roar. If the gap is wide on the scoreboard, the margin is small for qualification because of the 10 points spent on the first leg to make up. The Spanish understood this well and scored a 7-0 run, bringing the gap below the decisive 10 points mark. The last 3 minutes are just a succession of bad choices and missed baskets and the hope of qualification dwindles, 67-63 with less than 30 seconds on the scoreboard.
A money-time that meets the challenges
Carla Leite decides to make us lie and hits a long distance basket with the mistake, 4 more points in the pocket of the French leader. The gap is 8 points with only 17 seconds remaining, possession for Movistar Estudiantes and logical fault from ESBVA. Married Whittle only hits one of his two shots, 71-64. The equation is simple: a 3-point basket and Villeneuve can still believe in his chances of qualifying, otherwise it’s elimination. Marie-Eve Paget understood it well and returned his shot from the corner, 74-64! The Spanish missed their last attempt and it was therefore an extension snatched by the Villeneuvoises.
This 3-point basket completely frees the two teams who begin to shoot relentlessly from afar, successfully this time. Shavonte Zellous is the perfect example, with 3 successful long distance baskets. 83-73, the first overtime does not make it possible to decide between the two teams, who leave for 5 additional minutes of happiness, after a match point missed by Aminata Gueye.
Carla Leite at the end of a Dantesque match
The back and forth on the free throw line continues for the Spaniards of Movistar-Estudiantes, who temporarily fall below the 10 point mark in this second overtime. Carla Leite gets in tune and also goes looking for shots, exceeding 20 points on her individual counter. 1 minute and 14 seconds to play and still 10 points ahead for the ESBVA, what suspense! Angela Salvadores momentarily calms the public by scoring a beautiful 2+1, while Carla Leite wastes some ammunition on the throwing line. 93-83, 38 seconds left. Shavonte Zellous against the attempt to Married Whittlewho misses a second time and leaves a new match point for ESBVA, missed by Shavonte Zellous then by Kadiatou Sissoko – The Best Of Kadiatou Sissoko second chance. So we’re going back to a third extension, what madness!
The Villeneuvoises finally put the lock on defense and conceded no points in the first 3 minutes of this umpteenth overtime. And when Carla Leite releases a new miraculous shot from afar, the entire Palacium can finally breathe! The gap increases to 20 points and it is finally a 108-90 victory for ESBVA-LM against Movistar Estudiantes ! The northern club thus qualifies for the quarter-finals of this Women’s EuroCup.
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