TGB – EuroCup: The Tarbaises fall to the furia of Madrid

With a 27-point victory in the first leg (87-60), the Tarbaises knew that the return match in Spain promised to be much more competitive. They were able to see proof of this in the first two actions of the match: two quick baskets scored by the Spanish women in transition (4-0). Beaten in intensity at the Quai, the Movistar players showed a completely different side last night.

However, initially, the Tarbaises found the solutions to respond to each shot of their opponent, like Sivka who drew long distance after a three-point basket from Salvadores (11-11, 7th). A tie after which the locals accelerated to end the first quarter with an 8-0: a run in the wake of Sharp, who scored 6 consecutive points (19-11, 10th).

And after the first ten minutes ended on a high note, the Spaniards attacked the second quarter on the same basis. Only difference: François Gomez’s players this time found a way to counter Movistar. Brought back into line by Musa, who scored 6 of TGB’s first 8 points in the second quarter, Tarbes got back together thanks to Sivka. The Slovenian adjusted the sights from long distance twice to bring hers to just one point (26-25, 17th). And it was Droguet, until then struggling with shooting with a 1/9, who put the Bigourdanes back in front by making two baskets (28-31, 19th).

Manhandled during the first quarter, in particular because of their poor choices in attack and their losses of ball, the Tarbaises relied on their two best players and their captain to come back into contact with the Spaniards, who equalized just before returning to the locker room thanks to a basket with the fault of Banaszak (31-31).

A money-time that ruins everything

Unlike the start of the match, where the Tarbaises ended up chasing the score, they took the lead from the start of the second quarter. Sivka, behind the arc, gave the advantage to TGB (37-36, 23rd). But, revenge for the slap in the first leg, the Spanish held on to maintain the crossover. Salvadores stole the ball from Zodia’s hands to give Madrid some air (41-36, 24th). But that was without counting on the little heat from the Tarbaises with three points. Fora, first in the corner, then Strunc in transition, allowed TGB to catch up with Movistar (43-43, 27th).

And, like the Spanish at the end of the first quarter, the Bigourdanes produced their effort at the end of the third quarter to give themselves a small lead: a 12-0 in the space of five minutes to finally begin the last ten minutes of the match with a five-point lead (44-49).

A lead that Camille Droguet’s teammates kept until the approach of money time and the last five minutes. And this thanks to Zodia, who scored two consecutive baskets (51-58, 34th), but also to Fora from long distance (53-61, 36th).

Well on their way to winning their fourth success in as many matches, the Violettes were however scuttled. The fault is very poorly managed money-time. Behind a basket from Salvadores, which allowed Movistar to get back together (57-61), Fora committed an unsportsmanlike foul and, after throws from Camilion and again from Salvadores, the Spaniards got back together. With less than two minutes to play, Sharp’s three-pointer 69 seconds from the buzzer sealed the game. The attempts of TGB and Droguet, Sivka and Zodia at three points changed nothing.

The TGB has just experienced its first defeat in Europe but maintains the advantage over the Spanish thanks to the point average. The fact remains that this setback, in the dynamics of the Tarbaises, does not bode well.