The Tarbaises did not manage, on Saturday evening, to rise to the height of the Charnaysiennes and lowered their flag (53-74) after a match at the Quai de l’Adour where they lacked skill and above all, character.
For the TGB, it was the match to win at home to confirm a great victory in the Eurocup against a direct competitor beaten in the European exercise.
If Musa scores the first 4 points, Charnay goes in front after two free throws missed by Zodia (4-5, 3rd). The match is on and the TGB races behind Charnay who scores 3 points by Akoa Makani. But captain Droguet brings parity back on two first points from free throws (112-12, 6th).
Solid in defense, the Pinkies are giving the Tarbaises a hard time and taking advantage of 2nd chances to take off, carried by Akoa Makani (12-16, 7th).
Wrath of Gomez, character of Celerier
By adding the defensive faults (5) and offensive faults (Zodia), Tarbes suffers (12-20, 8th). If Ewodo scores his first point, it is Charnay who finishes strong by scoring 2 points at the buzzer (15-25) provoking the ire of coach Gomez who brings in the young Célerier in place of Fora who is clumsy on her attempts.
The Charnaysiennes took advantage with Akoa Makani at 2/2 at 3 points (17-30, 12th) and Celerier opened his counter with a 3-point basket to a standing ovation from the sparse audience on the Quai de l’Adour.
Especially the young player who comes out of the match with the Espoirs fights like a devil to do it again behind the circle and put her team back in the lead. But by wasting open shots (8/16), the TGB remains a good distance from Charnay.
Fortunately Strunc at 3 points then Musa, already at 13 points (15 eval) after interception, added (27-36, 18th). But, with half as many rebounds and the head elsewhere, the TGB also leaves the 2nd quarter weighed down by a small 11/33 on shots against Charnay, a little more skillful (44%) and carried by 3 players to more than e10 evaluation (Akoa Makani, Djaldi-Tabdi, Strautmane).
Trailing by 9 points, a lesser problem, the residents of the Quai de l’Adour returned with better dispositions: Sivka scored her first 3 points after 14:19 of play, the Swiss leader Fora found her grinta and continued (36-40, 23rd) while captain Droguet brings her teammates back to 4 points.
The TGB glows then goes out
But opposite Akoa Makani and Garrick keep the hot hand (38-47, 26th) and by increasing the tempo the Charnaysiennes regain 10 lengths at the moment when the dilapidated sports center offers a welcome time out due to a power cut.
Because, if Barhaman is silent during his 8.45 minutes of play in the 2nd half, Sivka resumes her skill and puts 3 points in the pocket of TGB which is on par with Charnay in the 3rd quarter (43-52, 30th).
If the light has returned to the floor, the TGB floors are struggling to light up and the inevitable Akoa Makani then Thomas pull away for a 0-6 in less than 2 minutes (43-58, 32nd).
Too clumsy like this 14th ball lost by Sivka, the Tarbaises let Charnay slip away who found the target under the leadership of Daramy and Garrick at 3 points (43-65, 34th).
The gap increases after a scathing 0 to 13 and unfortunately, François Gomez’s players are not in the opposing racket.
Finally Sivka puts an end to the offensive silence after 5.30 minutes of play in the last quarter and does it again behind the circle to put the TGB 20 points behind Charnay (48-68, 36th). The young Slovenian interior added her 15th points and the return of Célerier was beneficial (53-71, 39th).
But, Charnay manages and takes advantage of a new mistake to regain his 20 point lead against a Tarbais camp which barely existed, surpassed in skill, intensity and above all character.
Tarbes Gespe Bigorre 53 – Charnay 74
QT : 15-25, 16-15, 12-12, 10-22.
Referees: J. Wallet, J. Dubois, Q. Manzano.
TARBES: 19 successful shots out of 60 (including 7/29 three-pointers); 8 successful free throws out of 17; 33 rebounds; 8 assists; 19 lost balls; 8 interceptions; against ; 20 personal fouls.
The points: Droguet (cap.) 6, Musa 13, Zodia 2, Sivka 15, Fora 4, ; then Strunc 3, Monasse 0, Poulain 0, Ewodo 1, Barhaman 0, Celerier 9.
Coach: François Gomez.
Charnay: 27 successful shots out of 66 (including 8/26 three-pointers); 12 successful free throws out of 20; 49 rebounds; 15 assists; 15 lost bullets; 8 interceptions; 3 blocks; 16 personal fouls.
Points: Akoa Makani 18, Thomas 8, Garrick 15, Chabrier (cap.) 1, Djaldi-Tabdi 7; then Gaye 3, Balogun 6, Daramy 10, Stratmane 5, Desset 1.
Coach: S. Leite. Assistant : F. Unovis.
François Gomez: “Very unhappy with the behavior of the team”
François Gomez (TGB coach): “We were up against a very solid, very aggressive team with players who found skill. But we are responsible for that because in the first half, we missed too many easy things. With the state of mind that was ours today (Saturday evening), we are shooting ourselves in the foot. To be completely frank and in relation to the people who came in the room, I am almost a little ashamed of what we showed. I don’t remember that in Tarbes. We have the right to lose but I don’t remember losing like that… not with weapons in hand. There are people who are not into the fight, nor into the intensity. I am very unhappy with our performance and not at all with the behavior of the team. »
Jess-Mine Zodia (TGB) : “We had a lack of fight. We let ourselves be walked on without really reacting and that’s not the face we wanted to show, even less in front of our supporters. Tonight the defeat hurts but it’s more the behavior we showed that hurts. We’re going to have to correct this very quickly to get our heads up and move on quickly. »
Jeannie Cointre (president of the TGB): “There is probably a little fatigue after our victory in Hungary but fatigue is on both sides since Charnay made the same trip. So, there is not one team that was at a disadvantage compared to the other. I think and this is a bit what we said in the locker room, that we have the right to lose but in a manner. What we can regret a little is not having all been in combat when we had to. Afterwards, we were up against a very good team from Charnay who were totally successful, who know each other because the majority of the players were already together last year when we have a team which is rebuilding itself. It also takes time to find automation. But, I know the girls and I know they will bounce back quickly.”
Stéphane Leite (Charnay coach): “After our European Cup road trip, we needed to rest our bodies as much as possible and today, I think it was the intensity that made the difference. I find that my players respected the game plan from start to finish. At the start, we had difficulty managing Musa before managing to hold her in the second half. We tend to press at the end and we showed it again. For me, it’s an excellent result in Tarbes and we didn’t hope to leave with such a gap (21 points). I am very happy and really proud of my players.”
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