Sweaty victory puts Friends in the half-finals

CAB and Olivais faced each other in Funchal to play the second game of the first women's playoff playoff. Despite winning the first game, played in Coimbra, the CAB knew it would not have an easy task. On the contrary, the Amigas approached the convincing meeting that Olivais is a very well trained, aggressive team that came to Madeira with the clear intention of moving on to the next playoff round. Therefore, those commanded by João Pero Vieira knew that they had to apply in depth if they did not want to be surprised in their own enclosure. Therefore, the CAB required absolute concentration, determination and a lot of commitment in order to avoid the third game (which would happen to be played on Sunday) and stamping the ticket to the league's mid-final. Depending only on himself, the CAB had the great responsibility of the game. The question remained whether the Madeirans would know how to take the match and impose their pace of play. The CAB got better at the match, and in the middle of the first half, it was winning by 10. The result came from the good defense of the friends, since in the attack, the Madeirans were not being very consistent or careful in the management of the ball. However, in the middle of the first period, the players of the house made a series of disagreements, which were intelligently used by Olivais to balance the match. The end of the first period arrived with the marker in 14-8. In the second period, the CAB continued to show some lack of concentration, resulting in many losses of the ball (which were 12 at the interval). On the other hand, the Olivais continued its descent, having in Alaina Walker and Artemis I've got your main references. The evident superiority of the CAB in the chapter of the caveats (23-15, at the interval), was not conferring to the house the superiority that they sought so much in the marker, because in the attack, the ones commanded by João Pedro Viera were revealing some discoordination. At the interval, the performances of Taj McWilliams (11 points, at the interval) and Maria João (7 points, at the interval) were keeping the CAB in the race, but by a minimum margin, with the marker to register 26-25 when the teams collected from the locker rooms. In the third half, the dominant score was again the balance between the two teams. The house team won the period by 17-15, but Olivais made clear his intentions of winning the meeting and leading the competition of access to the semifinals to another game. Both teams missed a lot of pitches, which explains the relatively low punching of the match, and, side by side, several ball losses were committed. It wasn't a beautiful basketball show at all. The third half ended with the result in 43-40 and with everything open for the last ten minutes. The last time was played taco-to-tack, with no team disarming in search of victory. The CAB has long been better organized, but Olivais has never disarmed, showing why it is a great basketball team, which is absolutely oriented, and a fair reference in Portuguese women's basketball. Emotion and nervousness were present until the last second, with teams tied to 54 points. However, a lack of Olivais on Taj McWilliams when he played the final horn put the American CAB on the free throw line, already with the stopwatch on the zeros. With the CAB Pavilion fully standing, the 'mother' Taj missed the first bid and converted the second, giving the Madeiran team clearance for the half-final for the result of 55-54. In a statistical analysis of the game, the CAB dominated the score (44 against 33) and the ball robberies (12 against 10). However, the team that wears red was particularly ill in the management of the ball, committing 23 losses of ball without release. It was precisely in the ball ownership management chapter that the CAB had a less accomplished display, an aspect that will certainly be reviewed by the team and their coaches. However, and because an important step has been taken for the group, the CAB Official Site expresses its sincere pride in the work that has been developed by all athletes and their coaches, wishing them to keep the 'hunger', determination and, above all, the UNION that has guided you throughout the season. At this stage of the competition, when everything counts and the nerves are 'in the flower of the skin', know that the club is all with you, that trusts you and wants to go see where your dreams lead you! In individual terms: Cintia France, Carla Relva, Catarina Freitas, Ana Jardim, Taj McWilliams (22 points, 14 points, MVP of the match), Marta Bravo (6 points, 4 points), Maria João (10 points, 4 points), Carla Freitas (5 points), Schera Sampson (7 points, 13 points), Carolina Escorcio (5 points, 3 points).