BLMA: Lacking offensive solutions, the Gazelles lose to Charnay and already say goodbye to the Coupe de France

Malgré les 19 points d’Elodie Naigre, le BLMA a buté sur l’obstacle bourguignon. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

Les Gazelles de Lattes-Montpellier ont été éliminées dès leur entrée en lice par Charnay (53-54), à domicile.

“ELOOODIE NAIGRE!” A cheer came down from the aisles of the Lattes sports hall this Wednesday evening, 1 minute 30 seconds from the end of the match. The Guadeloupean center scored her fifth long-range shot of the game to give the BLMA the lead again (53-52).
Having been trailing since the third quarter resumed, the Gazelles were finally looking ahead to qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France after being eliminated too early in previous years.

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The technical sheet

BLMA 53

CHARNAY 54

Palais des sports de Lattes.
Quarter-temps : 19-20, 15-14, 5-12, 14-7.
Referees: Mrs. Dahra and Messrs. Bayot and Karroum.
BLMA : 19/55 including 7/21 at 3 pts, 8 LF/14, 17 assists (Bailey, 4), 40 rebounds (Fankam Mendjiadeu, 7), 7 interceptions (Rabot, 3), 0 blocks, 19 lost balls, 13 fouls.
Suarez (0), Bailey (2 pts), Rabot (6), Naigre (19), Fankam Mendjiadeu (11) ; Berniès (9), Limouzin (2), Brun, Angloma (3), Milapie (1), Keita, Tagayi.
CHARNAY: 21/52 including 5/26 at 3 pts, 7 LF/11, 17 assists, 29 rebounds, 6 interceptions, 3 blocks, 16 lost balls, 17 fouls.
Akoa Makani (10 pts), Garrick (8), Chabrier (3), Strautmane (2), Djaldi-Tabdi (6) ; Balogun (5), Gaye (0), Daramy (4), Thomas (16).

However, the Charnaysiennes, in form in the championship, did not panic and relied on the powerful Shakayla Thomas (16 pts), who scored the last 7 points of her team, to move back in front, before entering the last minute (53-54). What followed was a series of bad offensive choices for the not-aggressive-enough Latto-Montpelliéraines, who ended up breaking their teeth on the Burgundy defense, for a frustrating defeat.

“We can't do it”

“The last two possessions, they have five fouls in front, we have to penetrate, provoke the foul to go to the free-throw line, ranted coach Valéry Demory after the elimination of his team, he who has won this competition four times in the past. We can't do it, every year we've gone out first tour…”

Also read: “It's annoying, we've been missing the boat for a few years” : BLMA and Romane Berniès begin their journey in the Coupe de France

Earlier in the match, a real back-and-forth had taken place during the first half where the two teams were inseparable with a gap of +6 at most and a tie at the break (34-34).

 

As is often the case for the Gazelles, the third quarter was difficult, and the experienced Ana Suarez and Jasmine Bailey were having an ordeal between clumsiness and ball losses (8 for BLMA in this period). The establishment of a zone defense (2-3 then 3-2) and the confidence of Élodie Naigre (19 points and 5/8 at 3 pts) could have allowed the BLMA to save its match at the end… But it still lacked more.