The Bourges “Tango” team found themselves stifled by the defense of Julie Barennes’ players, particularly embodied by the agile Laïa Lacan. Lacan, living up to her MVP award for the season, scored 20 points, grabbed 4 steals, and fought fiercely for every ball.
Despite a spirited end to the game, highlighted by Maëva Djaldi-Tabdi’s 14 rebounds, Bourges was outplayed in game construction, managing only 6 assists compared to Basket Landes’ 15. Their dismal 4/24 three-point shooting proved to be a disheartening factor.
Leïla Lacan opened the scoring with a three-pointer on the first possession, and Basket Landes immediately established a solid defense, leading 8-4. This early lead didn’t rattle the Tango, whose aggressive play earned them several free throws. The score see-sawed, with Basket Landes holding a slight advantage at the end of an intense first quarter, 17-16.
As is often the case in such high-stakes matches, defense dominated offense. For a significant stretch of 2 minutes and 20 seconds, neither team could find the net. The scoring remained low, with only 4 points scored in the first five minutes of the second quarter and 6 in the subsequent five, leading to a halftime tie of 27-27. Bourges’ shooting accuracy was poor at 28%, with a 2/12 from beyond the arc and two airballs from Laëtitia Guapo, even worse than Basket Landes’ 30% shooting. At this point, Leïla Lacan and Myriam Djekoundade were the top scorers with 7 points each, while Maëva Djaldi-Tabdi had already secured 8 rebounds.
The dynamic duo of Leïla Lacan, a constant defensive nuisance, and Marjunatu Musa, who emerged from a scoring slump, propelled Basket Landes to a 35-27 lead. This 8-point advantage was a significant development. Six consecutive points from Laétitia Guapo briefly brought the Tango back into contention, but Basket Landes responded with another surge, extending their lead to 44-34. It took Bourges over 7 minutes in the third quarter for a player other than Guapo to score. The home team’s extra energy allowed them to score a final buzzer-beater by Marie Pardon, ending the third quarter with a score of 47-36.
A three-pointer from Leïla Lacan, followed by two successful free throws, and a mid-range basket from Marjunatu Musa, pushed Basket Landes’ lead to an impressive 17 points (56-39). Bourges struggled to find the basket, even on open shots, making it difficult to compete. While Basket Landes eased up in the final minutes, it was too late for Bourges to overcome the deficit. This strong performance, however, offers a glimmer of hope for Game 3.
The deciding Game 3 will take place in Mont-de-Marsan on Sunday, May 17th, at 7 PM.
The full box score is available HERE.
