Eurocup: BLMA loses to Galatasaray in the 8th first leg, and will have to achieve the feat on the return

After Belgrade, Istanbul: the Gazelles set foot in another mythical European city for any basketball fan. So certainly, the 800 or so spectators of the Ahmet Comert Sports Hall are not much, next to the 12,500 of the Abdi Ipekçi Arena, present to push behind the boys in Euroleague, but the girls of Galatasaray had other arguments .

❌ Our Gazelles lose in this first duel against Galatasaray (88 to 75).

The gap is frustrating, but anything is still possible. We are counting on your presence at the return match, in Lattes, on February 1! #BLMA #GoGazelles?⚪️ pic.twitter.com/fCFOI5tyLS

— BLMA (@BasketLMA) January 25, 2023

The main thing: an impressive Stevens (1.96m)-McGowan (2.04m) racquet. Opposite, Valéry Demory had decided to align Kyara Linskens and Marième Badiane, his two pivots, to try to slow down the opposing doublet, which nevertheless put BLMA to the torture from the start of the match (17-5 then 23-8 and 26-14). The Gazelles were more aggressive in defense and Linskens, at mid-distance, allowed the Héraultaises to come back to -10 (28-18). In the second quarter, BLMA were evenly matched with the Turks, but it was Alper Durur’s proteges who took the lead (48-36).

The second period started under the best auspices with an offensive festival of Latto-Montpelliéraines. First an and-one from Peters, then a three-pointer from Vanloo, imitated for a few moments by Migna Touré, very discreet this evening (3 pts at 1/9 in the shoot), to return to 50-45, then to 52- 48 when Julie Vanloo, excellent behind the bow (5/7 at 3 pts), added a new banderilla. But McGowan (29 pts in total) and Stevens (21 pts) were hard to stop with their backs to the basket, and sending them to the free throw line was the only solution (70-60).

The BLMA deserved better

Determined to get back as close as possible to the locals, the BLMA and their American winger Haley Peters attacked the last ten minutes full of bite. An incredible and-one and an interception from the one who signed a large part this Wednesday evening (15 pts, 6 rebounds, 4 pads, 5 ints) and the Gazelles came back to bite the Turkish calves (75-69). But two consecutive walkers on the next two attacks weighed down the French offensive and Galatasaray took off with his Lithuanian “sniper” Kamile Nacickaite (83-69). This same player who gave Julie Vanloo the opportunity, through a fault on a three-point shot, to bring Lattes-Montpellier down to six small points with one minute to play. Unfortunately for Demory, Hallard and Mbombo Njoya on the bench, the talented Belgian leader, put under pressure by the local “ultras” only achieved a 1/3 (83-75). The last word was for Nacickaite who drew twice to knock out the Gazelles one last time (88-75).

13 points behind before the return match next Wednesday, it’s a mountain that awaits Romane Berniès and her teammates.