Garonne AB 71 – AS Niortaise 70
Lieu Meilhan-sur-Garonne (Jean-Fenouillet sports complex). Spectators 400 environ. Referees MM. Poulelaouen and Cazenave. Quart-temps 21-18, 13-18, 15-11, 22-23. Half time 34-36.
Garonne AB 26 successful shots, including 4 at 3 pts. 15 free throws made out of 21 attempted. 19 fouls called.
The markers: Jones (2), Auriol (8), Lesbarrères (4), Lopez (11), Kone (12), Ricard-Dorigo (21), Réal (10), Albert (2), Pompilius, Noël-Pierre (1) .
AS Niortaise 26 successful shots, including 4 at 3 pts. 14 free throws made out of 22 attempted. 21 fouls called.
The markers: Bondron (20), Moretton (2), Cellerier (10), Lheriau, Alouekey Von Shneider Glend (10), Lambinet (-), Debache (7), Cluysen (10) and Tchoubaye Bakala (11).
Statistically, the meeting between GAB and Niort came down, more or less, to a single free throw. Both teams managed 22 shots near the circle, 4 behind the bonus line. But where the GAB made 15 free throws, Niort only made 14 even though he attempted two more. “We have an increasingly united team,” says Adrien Ferrer. And despite a terrible address, we managed to follow the instructions until the end. »
And yet, the GAB never managed to completely break away from this eye-catching Niort team which had prepared its case very well. With each slightly significant gap, the Niortais returned to the game. The visitors started by defending very high on the Garonnais outside so as not to let them shoot. Lopez, Réal and Ricard are known as the white wolf, Bondron and colleagues do not give them any easy space.
Tension
It is Ricard-Dorigo who gives the first advantage to the locals (12-6) through his movements without the ball and his ability to open shooting windows. On both sides, the stray bullets are counted like so many autumn leaves falling in a whirlwind. The game was cut short by clumsiness but it was the visitors who scored 7-0 before conceding a 6-0 (18-13, 8e).
The tension is palpable among the locals who cannot find a truly open shot from distance. Cellier gives the advantage back to the visitors and the Niort interiors get their hands on the rebound. The young Pompilius then returned to restore order in the air with some success, which gave new ammunition to the Garonnais who set out again to attack (34-28, 17e) before being stopped again by Tchoubaye Kabala.
Ricard in champagne mode
At the break, Niort is in front with a score of minimal Region. The skill is poor and commitment has taken precedence over spaces and fast play. At the restart, the Ducks were galvanized by a dunk from Alouekey on the counter-attack then by a lost ball from the yellows during 24 seconds of defensive sequence. Tchoubaye and Cluysen take advantage of this to find a little skill and the GAB is on the ropes (36-43, 24e). It takes a gala Lucas Réal who connects a basket in the drive, a triple in transition and another triple to set the record straight (44-43, 27e). Almost alone, the Garonnais winger revives his team. Lopez and Kone show that they will have to be reckoned with and the GAB has let the storm pass.
Lost balls follow small gaps, the game will be played on a roll of the dice. 64 everywhere, 2 minutes left. Bondron scores first, Koné responds twice then, on an offensive rebound from Auriol in the middle of the big boys, finds himself with two shots. He converts one (68-66). Lopez fouls Bondron behind the line but the latter only scores 2 out of 3. At 68-68, there are 20 seconds to play, Lopez delays then shifts Ricard who lines up a stratospheric triple. Cellerier’s long shot only allows a tap from Bondron. The GAB wins the match on the last possession with the smallest gap.
The declaration
Adrien Ferrer, coach of GAB: “We can’t get the match going, we can’t get the crowd on their feet with our basketball, afterward, we have a little doubt. I sincerely think that we would not have won this match a few weeks ago, which shows that we are on the right path. And then, 3 consecutive victories, I take. »
