Angers held off a late Toulouse surge to secure a victory on Saturday, October 24, surviving a frantic fourth-quarter comeback. Aurélie Bonnan’s squad had previously built a 14-point advantage before Toulouse clawed back, trimming the margin to just two points at halftime and threatening down the stretch.
The hosts entered the contest bolstered by the arrival of Canadian addition Pellington, whose presence inside the paint immediately tested the visitors. Malgré une équipe de Toulouse disposant d’arguments sous les panneaux grâce notamment à Pellington, Angers a su tenir la dragée haute à ses rivales dans ce secteur pour construire son succès.
High Press Defense Drives Angers Success
Angers built the foundation of its victory on defensive intensity, repeatedly disrupting the Toulouse backcourt. Assistant coach Marius Blanchard highlighted the team’s defensive identity during the post-match press conference.
“The high defense is our DNA,” Blanchard said, reflecting on a match that saw the visiting side withstand early pressure after the teams traded blows at 12-12 and 14-14 in the opening period. “We are relieved given the scenario of this match, during which our main merit was not to fall apart. During the pre-match briefing, we had insisted on that, and the extra soul made the balance tip.”
Toulouse gradually reduced the deficit to 68-66 in front of a vocal home crowd, driven by contributions from Guapo, who tallied 19 points, and Toussaint with 16. Yet Angers responded with crucial stops, keeping their composure as Mjadi Bulabula led the scoring effort for the visitors with 20 points.
Harris and the Ufab Backcourt Close Out the Win
“Day” Harris punctuated her performance in the game’s closing moments, sealing the outcome through steady playmaking. Harris finished with 13 points, alongside teammate Baptiste, who also contributed 13 points.
“I love that,” Harris said with a smile, pointing to the late-game pressure and her ongoing chemistry with the coaching staff. The victory mirrored the competitive battles between the two clubs from the previous spring’s play-down.
For Toulouse, Reimer added 13 points and Lindstrom chipped in 11 alongside Pellington’s 9 points, but the home side fell short of securing their first success. The final box score reflected the narrow margins of the encounter, with Mahoutou adding 10 points for Angers to cement the club’s second victory of the season.
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