CAB of personality and struggle says goodbye to dream time

The CAB women's team moved to Carcavelos to face the formation of Lombos. The match was the second game of the Women's League final, a decisive meeting for the Madeirans, as they had lost the first game of the finals in the CAB Pavilion. This result forced the Friends to win to dream of a third (and decisive) game, which would be played again in the field of Lombos. If they lost, the friends would say good-bye to the season, with the continentals enjoying national champions. The CAB didn't get in the game the best way. The Amigas showed some of the same mistakes they had made in the game of Funchal, especially at the level of the losses of the ball and the caveats. The CAB was too permissive in the midfield at his guard, letting the continentals accumulate important points, later converted into points. Even so, thanks to a great offensive effort by the CAB, the first period ended with a balanced result, namely 20-18, in favour of the house. In the second period the CAB dominated the meeting completely. The defense zone mounted by the pupils of João Pedro was a huge headache for those commended by Zé Leite, who never hit with the way to attack the defensive scheme of the CAB. In the attack, the CAB was much superior to Lombos, benefiting from a very inspired Carla Freitas, who, in the second period, and throughout the game, did not miss a single release, noting, only in the second half, three triples. The break came with 32-36, with the CAB in front. The third period was very irregular. On the one hand, the CAB continued to dominate events in most third countries ten minutes. Proof of this is the fact that the Amigas have built up a nine-point advantage, which led to a three-game final. The Madeirans, with a very serene Maria João in conducting the attack and a very united and fierce group in each ball dispute, were being the best team in the field, silencing the Lombos Pavilion, completely full and with a hellish atmosphere. However, in the last three minutes of the period, Lombos recorded four decisive mid-distance launches, tied the match to 50 points, a result that reached the end of the third half. In the fourth period, the Friends denoted the physical effort imposed on them during the departure by the limitations of the squad. Lombos, cooler and with more options, intelligently explored the weaknesses of the opponent and reached the last five seconds of the game to win by 62-60. Two free throws from Maria João in the sequence of a foul suffered by the CAB athlete gave visitors the chance to take the game for extension, but, failing the second release, the CAB became inferiority and the party was meritorily Lombos, with the scorer in 62-61. Despite the defeat, the season was a dream for the CAB. The excellent basketball practiced by the Friends, especially in the second round of the championship, was a true 'wisdom' of how the game should be played and lived, both on and off the field. The conquest of the Portuguese Cup, in an epic Final Four that was played in Madeira, was the crown of a huge effort made by our athletes and their coaches throughout the year and that brought to the 'our' house a national title that we had long sought. Today, thanks to them, CAB is the club still in activity with more Taças de Portugal conquered, historic landmark and that reveals the greatness of our club. A huge thank you is required to our warlords, who are women of character and who, day after day, game after game, fought against adversity well known and never sought excuses to escape and not to do their best. On every occasion, they have filled us with pride, they have given even more value to what it means to be CAB, they have demonstrated the quality of our Formation (for 10 out of 12 have been formed in our schools), and, with their work, ambition and determination, they have constantly reminded us that there are few joys in this life superior to being a Red Race of soul and heart. History will better evaluate the importance of what has been done at this time, the relevance of the national title won, the uniqueness of uniting mother and daughter in the same working group and the response that so many players gave, in a sublime way, to unfair criticisms that had been directed to them in the previous era. Words, they take the wind. The actions remain - and the actions of these athletes and their coaches make their name forever recorded in our memories as elite players, players who are very 'our', for the affection we have for them, for all that made us dream and suffer, for all the joys that brought them. There are no words. Thank you!