The atmosphere was electrifying. The game intense and the battle was enrapturing. Emmet Ryan on a memorable night in Galicia as Claire Melia and Baxi Ferrol kept hope alive despite losing the first leg of their Eurocup Women final to Villeneuve d’Ascq
This is what I came here for. Will all respect to the wonderful people at Unicaja Malaga that provided a wonderful game of basketball against Real Madrid on Sunday, you were the starter course. For two weeks Irish basketball and the whole of Spanish basketball have been united waiting for this. Baxi Ferrol more than held their own in a dramatic first leg of Eurocup Women final against Villeneuve d’Ascq.
A city comes together
The fan zone opened a full three hours before tip, in a car park right next door to A Malata. The Claires Gang, the redhead wig wearing Claire Melia fan club were amongst the first to arrive. Carolina from Ferrol 360 noted how this game had far more media than the norm for a Baxi Ferrol game.
Rather appropriately, given the basketball heritage of the city, the Eurocup Women final was being played in an “old school gym” as Raúl Villares Villar described it. Cameras from stations national and regional were on site. Baxi Ferrol was just the third Spanish side to reach this final. The nation’s basketball fans were beside the shipyard town.
The Galicians, of course, had managed to get here at the first attempt. Their story is well-known to regular visitors to this site by now. They had to play 16 games, including two in qualifying, just to get this opportunity. Now, as the arena began to fill, Cinderella’s dream was before it. The only question was how the ball would end.
Pressure is real
The one common concern among locals in the build up to the Eurocup Women final was that few of the players were familiar with a game of this importance. Their fears proved well-founded in the first quarter.
Villeneuve d’Ascq made everything work both inside and out. A barrage of threes coupled with some excellent iso play in the post rattled the hosts. Claire Melia, for her part, kept the battle going through her first stint. A nice finish inside for her team’s first score coupled with a three kept Baxi Ferrol in touch.
The most vital moment however came as Melia sat. With the seconds ticking down towards the end of the quarter, Julie Pospisilova made a vital three to leave the score in a manageable position.
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Donde se acaba el mar
The harbour of Ferrol is long. It’s also narrow. That makes it rather defensible, just as the British found out in 1800. Villeneuve d’Ascq probably didn’t expect a history lesson in the Eurocup Women final. That’s exactly what they got in the second quarter of this basketball game.
The re-introduction of Claire Melia steeled the defence of Baxi Ferrol. The Galicians made life a nightmare for opponents looking to score in the paint. Through the opening minutes of that frame however, the home side struggled to make their shots land.
An unselfish move by Melia on a fast break changed the momentum. She neatly stopped to put Angela Mataix in position to finish. The Monasterevin woman followed up with a three before feeding Julie Pospisilova for a three of her own to given Baxi Ferrol a 44-42 lead at the half.
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Tough sledding
Carla Leite was a force of nature in the third quarter for Villeneuve d’Ascq. The French side showed the pedigree of previous winners of Eurocup Women to open the second half. Baxi Ferrol managed to keep primary control of the tempo but it was clear that the visitors were becoming more comfortable.
Carla Mestres hit a couple of crucial threes early in the third to ensure Ferrol stayed in touch. The full 40 minutes of a basketball game matter, even if we often only remember the dramatic endings. Those early scores from Mestres ensured the hot start from Villeneuve d’Ascq was tempered.
It took grit and guile for Baxi Ferrol to stay within touching distance to close the third. Still, they managed to do so effectively. Lino Lopez would have been relieved his charges only trailed by a possession entering the final 10 minutes.
The Baxi Ferrol fans were extraordinary throughout the first leg of the Eurocup Women final
It’s about the size of the fight in the dog
Things looked grim early in the fourth. The lead for Villeneuve d’Ascq stretched to 7 points. That’s not a lot but it’s the point where things tend to teeter. Baxi Ferrol gave Claire Melia the minimum possible rest and sent her back into battle.
What we got was a gloriously bruising back and forth between both sides. This was the type of clash worthy of a Eurocup Women final. Basketball is a game of skill but also one of toughness. This game had plenty of both throughout.
On the night, Villeneuve d’Ascq took the win. Baxi Ferrol however travel to Lille with hope. All the pressure in on the French side and, of course, the Galicians are used to some explosive performances on the road.
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