Charnay and Villeneuve d’Ascq bounce back, Angers stumbles at home

French clubs experienced mixed fortunes this Wednesday evening in Women’s EuroCup. Charnay and Villeneuve d’Ascq managed to correct course after their opening defeats, while Angers suffered a frustrating loss at home against Bucharest. A defeat (79-86) that left a bitter taste for UFAB 49, overwhelmed by the Romanians’ incredible shooting and their own lack of defensive intensity.

Angers punished by Bucharest at Jean-Bouin

Without Anna Ngo Ndjock, who complained of pain during warm-up, Aurélie Bonnan’s team was outplayed by a red-hot Rapid Bucharest. The Romanians, led by an exceptional Miroslava Mistinova (33 points), quickly took control thanks to impressive outside shooting (3/3 from 3-point range in three minutes). Despite the efforts of Laura Mendez (21 points) and Marine Dursus (15 points), Angers trailed throughout the evening.

« Our commitment level in the first half was far from sufficient. We can’t let a team playing with six players walk all over us. […] Beyond the scoreboard, it’s the manner that’s unacceptable, » fumed assistant coach Marius Blanchard after the game in Le Courrier de l’Ouest.

Despite a late surge in the final quarter, Angers never found defensive solutions to stop the Mistinova-Ivan-Murray trio (68 points between them). « This isn’t our DNA. Everyone needs to look in the mirror, » admitted center Batabe Zempare.

Charnay dominates Gorzow convincingly

At home, Charnay Basket Bourgogne Sud (CBBS) responded perfectly after their defeat in Greece. Led by an inspired Sara Chevaugeon (22 points, 4/9 from 3-point range) and a brilliant Stella Colas at point guard (9 assists in 15 minutes), Stéphane Leite’s players dominated Poland’s Gorzow (84-70).

Their full-court defense and fast-paced game stifled their opponents from the opening minutes (29-16). A solid victory that allows Charnay to open their European account before a challenging trip to Turkey against Besiktas Istanbul.

Villeneuve d’Ascq, a mental victory in Poland

Reigning champions, the Warriors of Villeneuve d’Ascq had to work hard in Wroclaw to erase their initial setback in Fribourg. After a rough start (13-0), they turned things around thanks to their collective response and a sparkling Alexis Peterson (19 points at 100%, 6 rebounds, 4 assists).

« This isn’t the image we want to project. But we responded well by winning the other three quarters, » commented their coach Maxime Bézin in La Voix du Nord.

This victory (78-70) allows ESBVA-LM to revive their campaign before facing Bulgarian team Stara Zagora, then Bourges in Betclic ELITE on Sunday.

French teams’ results: two encouraging victories, a warning for Angers

Charnay and Villeneuve d’Ascq are back on track, proving their European experience remains an asset. Angers will need to fix their game starts and recover defensive discipline to hope for progression beyond the group stage. While the competition is just beginning, the lessons are already clear. As for the other French team in EuroCup, Lattes-Montpellier hosts Sassari this Thursday evening at the Palais des Sports de Lattes.