The Women’s League. Landerneau BB – Toulouse MB: 72-63 Was the sandman perhaps in the City of the Moon for too long? Or was it the flamboyant start of the Landernéennes’ match (43-24, +19 at halftime) that put the audience at the Cement Factory to sleep? The arena was purring as, after a catastrophic third quarter for the Finistériennes (4-11), Toulouse got back into the game.
“Wani (Muganguzi) had warned us at halftime. He had told us to be wary, not to rest on our laurels. We didn’t listen,” sighed Caroline Hériaud. She even believed that Landerneau “was lucky to win it, that one” (72-63). Because after a “cohesive” first half, the LBB players stumbled over their game. And with five minutes left, the Occitans came back to -2. In a finally heated atmosphere, Elizabeth Balogun easily scored three points, before grabbing a rebound under her basket (55-50). Adja Kane (57-50) and Harmoni Turner, the best player of the match (24 points), put the Occitans back in the lead (60-52).
“A nice warning”
“It’s a nice warning. At the beginning of the second half, we lacked aggressiveness, we shared the ball less, and we missed a lot,” diagnosed Wani Muganguzi. Offensively, we did not respect the game, we did not respect Toulouse!” of him in the small press room at the Cement Factory, Caroline Hériaud nodded: “We played with nonchalance, we relied on what we had done in the first half.”
While they were making this severe diagnosis, behind the door one could hear a few supporters sing a refrain that sounds so good in the spring in Finistère: “Landerneau, European Cup! Landerneau European Cup!” Because this victory, even laborious, secures the fourth place, which offers the advantage of home-court in the first round of the playoffs.
There is one more regular season match, against Charnay, but all eyes are on this final phase. With ambition… And self-criticism: “A second half like that, that won’t fly in the playoffs,” scolded Caroline Hériaud. Everyone will have to reassess themselves, because we haven’t arrived. Otherwise, it means we are not ambitious!”
Technical Data
Landerneau BB – Toulouse MB: 72-63 (21-12, 22-12, 4-11, 25-28) Referees: Mrs. Ouardad, Mr. Thierry and Mr. Lohezic. Landerneau BB: Elenga (captain, 4 pts), Balogun (8), Kaba (6), Heriaud (13), Albert (0), Turner (24), Kane (7), Tayor (5), Tsobgny (3), Boudhil (0), Barbosa (2) Coach: Wani Muganguzi Toulouse MB: Limouzin (12 pts), Cissé (11), Lindstrom (7), San Antonio (14), Traoré (0), Touré (7), Reimer (10), De Freitas (captain, 2) Coach: Xavier Noguera.
