Friends fought hard but were surprised by GDESSA

The CAB Women's Team faced the formation of GDESSA in what was the first game of Friends in the Final Phase of the Women's League. This stage of competition is being played in the Azores, but precisely in the Sidónio Serpa Pavilion. The game started best for the GDESSA team. With 5 minutes of play, the continental team won 7-11, a superiority that resulted from the speed that Barreiro's players were printing to the game. The CAB, in turn, was not imposing its game model and accusing some difficulty in dealing with the intensity of GDESSA. After a timeout requested by João Pedro, the CAB team reacted and tied the game. The tie between the two teams remained constant between 11 and 17 points. However, in the last 40 seconds of the first period, the CAB achieved a slight upward and ended the first half ahead by 19-18. In the second half, GDESSA came back in better. The continentals bet everything on the rapid attacks and their speed, factors with which the CAB was not getting along. The result was a partial of 0-8 in the first two minutes of the meeting, which gave GDESSA a 19-26 advantage. The reaction of the CAB was followed, which began to better close the paths to the GDESSA basket and to explore better its strengths, namely the indoor game. Fruit of this, the CAB recovered some of the disadvantage, and, with 5 minutes played in the second half, the result was 29-28, with the CAB in front, although for only 1 point. The advantage of the Friends did not last long because GDESSA gave its answer, turning to the same players and the same moves with which it had scored points previously. The strategy resulted, and, helped by some problems revealed by the CAB in the management of the possession of the ball, Nuno Manaia players went to the interval to win by 33-44. In the third period, GDESSA went back in better and raised its advantage to 14 points of difference. However, the CAB reacted, and with 4 minutes played, the difference between the two formations was 8 points (42-50), still in favor of the continental ones. With the game very alive, both sides totally turned themselves in and the people who were following the game could witness moments of good basketball. The game had less ball losses, less stops and more intensity. However, at the end of the third period, the advantage remained with Barreiro's team for 50-58, even if the balance was the dominant score between the two formations. By the end of the third period, the CAB was superior to the continental ones and managed, with greater organization and defensive commitment, to reduce punctual damage. The friends won the partial by 22-17, but after 30 minutes of play, the advantage remained of GDESSA by 55-61. In the fourth period, the CAN entered very determined and cut the GDESSA advantage to 4 points (57-61) with 2 minutes played. Friends put together a much more aggressive defense that was making life harder for Barreiro's team. Two minutes later, the difference between the two teams was even shorter (59-61), with the game fully open and assuming a great emotion. In the middle of the last half, the teams were tied to 64 points. The CAB defense was yielding results that it had not produced in the first part of the meeting. In the attack, the friends were superior, as evidenced by the 9-3 partial that the Madeirans had accumulated until that moment in the period. From this moment on, the CAB was less well and failed to seize the offensive opportunities it was able to create. On the other side, GDESSA was being more careful, and with a minute and a half in play, he was leading 66-72. The CAB fought well, but I couldn't catch the opponents anymore and missed the date by 70-76. Tomorrow, the friends will play again, but this time against Sportiva's team.