Claw friends don't pass in Ovar

The women's CAB team faced the Sportive Union of the Azores in a match counting to the third place of the Victor Hugo Cup. The match began best for the CAB, which won the first period by the result of 22-14. The response of the Azoreans was not expected, with Sportiva recording a second overwhelming period, to contrast with the apathy and poor defensive performance of the Madeirans. After a surprising (but meritorious) partial 8-27, Sportiva reached the break to win by 30-41. In the second part, the CAB entered with a desire to turn events around, but the answer was not as strong as the Friends would have liked. The Madeirans won the period by 21-12, but after thirty minutes of play, the scorer scored 51-53, still in favor of Sportiva. In the last period, the CAB wore the ‘monkey suit’ and did everything in its power to win the game. The effort was rewarded, and at the end of the match, the scorer marked 72-69. With the victory in the game, the CAB won third place in the Victor Hugo Cup. The next battle of the Amigas is already on Saturday, October 11, which is when they will receive at home the Good Journey, also from the Azores, in the inaugural game of the 2014-2015 Women's League. The CAB men's team went to Ovar to play against the local team, a training with a huge tradition in national basketball and that strengthened during the summer to attack the top seats of LPB. The game referred to the first phase of the António Pratas Cup, a trophy that serves as preparation for the regular phase. The first two periods of the match were marked by the balance between the two teams. With each ‘threat’ of the poles, the Friends responded with equal commitment, with a bat-to-tack game, both in defensive aspects and in offensive aspects. Proof of this is that, in the interval, the marker scored an appropriate 30-point draw. On the return of the locker rooms, the teams again showed great balance. The CAB, however, began to accuse some physical tiredness, the result of a smaller squad, with fewer options, and also the fact that it played against the young and dynamic team of Oliveirense on the eve. As a result, the end of the third half came with Ovarense in front, but only by the result of 48-47. In the last period, the men of the CAB gave everything to achieve victory, but the tiredness and natural limitations of the squad led to the best suffering the great effort of the Friends. Those commanded by João Paulo Silva were still ahead, but, in the final phase, the greatest experience, competitive rhythm and greater number of options of Ovarense spoke louder, allowing the house to win by 69-62. At the conclusion of the two games of this stage of the António Pratas Cup, the men's team of the CAB will remain on the continent to perform training games against the teams of the Maia (on Monday) and the Dragon Force (on Tuesday). These matches will allow the group to acquire some more competitive pace before the start of the League games.