“It will not be the last game of the season. We don’t want to give them the medals at Le Rocher.” A few seconds before kick-off, President Brigitte Perez, for her last as President at the Rock, wanted to be reassuring.
The start of the game seemed to prove him right since it was the Nyonnaises who started this match IV of the final the best (9-4, 18-12, then 27-19). The only downsides were the two quick fouls from Miriam Uro-Nilie and Jessica Loera and the too many offensive rebounds left (7 in the first quarter, 13 at the break).
Thanks to these free “second chances”, the Fribourgeoises remained in the match until the break (35-33) and, taking advantage of a certain advantage of weight and size in the racket, took the upper hand (37-43 ).
Breathtaking finale
But Nyon, once again, courageously managed to come back from 43-49 to 52-49. Not helped by referees overwhelmed by the stakes, the two teams then delivered a terrible mano a mano until the end.
Two minutes from time, the scoreboard still showed 61-61. The referees were talking about them again 42 seconds from time, when they whistled a severe unsportsmanlike foul on Abigail Fogg, excluded on the spot. Nyon was back in the lead thanks to Margot (63-62) and Uro-Nilie seemed to end the match with a three-pointer about twenty seconds from the end (66-62).
But Kroselj responded to him in stride (66-65), once again bringing Elfic back into the race. Finally, in the money-time, the Nyonnaises managed to be the most solid (70-65). Enough to snatch a decisive fifth match, Sunday, in Saint-Léonard (4 p.m.).
Nyon Basket Feminine – Elfic Friborg 70-65
(22-19, 13-14, 17-18, 18-14)
Nyon: Loera (19), Uro-Nilie (15), Margot (13), Franchina (12), Ibrahim (2); Ruga (7), Haas (2).
Coach: Judge Salem.
ElficGiroud (13), Kroselj (13), France (12), Lisbon (11), Fogg (14); Zali, Jacquot, Higo-Bravo (2).
Coach: Romain Gaspoz.
Notes: Rocher, Nyon: 800 spectators.
