Villeneuve d'Ascq 84-70 Baxi Ferrol (Villeneuve d’Ascq win 162-145 on aggregate)
A gallant effort from Ireland's Claire Melia and Baxi Ferrol wasn’t enough as Villeneuve d’Ascq comfortably won the second leg of the Eurocup Women final to claim the title.
Melia, the first Irish woman to ever play in a European final, as well as the first homegrown player male or female to do so, had a travelling support of around 30 supporters from Ireland to supplement the Baxi Ferrol fans. All were in full voice inside Palacium over an hour before the opening tip.
Melia’s side entered this game knowing they needed to win by at least four points to overcome the first-leg deficit.
The visitors however got off to a dreadful start.
With their nerves showing, Baxi Ferrol struggled offensively and Villeneuve d’Ascq quickly took advantage to take a 10-point lead on the night before Lino Lopez, the Ferrol coach, called a timeout to try and settle his troops.
Back-to-back three pointers from Bianca Millan and Joiner restored belief in the Baxi Ferrol players.
Melia got off the mark soon after, a nice baseline drive cutting the deficit to five points. She then assisted on a pair of Julie Pospisilova scores as the Galicians looked to keep pace with the hosts.
Still, Villeneuve d’Ascq undoubtedly had the better of the first quarter as it ended with the French side ahead 23-18.
Melia, who was named the competition’s player of the month for March, sat out the start the second quarter. The rest was necessary, but the gap widened while she watched.
The Ireland international returned to the floor out of a timeout looking to rally her side. The hosts however kept on pushing. Carla Leite, a French international, pushed the gap back out to double digits.
At half-time, it looked like Baxi Ferrol needed a miracle as Villeneuve d’Ascq led 42-30.
Whatever hope the Baxi Ferrol side had coming into the second half seemed to be quashed within a matter of minutes.
A three-pointer from Haley Peters followed by an and-one play by Leite pushed the gap to 18 on the night and 21 on aggregate. Melia kept fighting, with a nice score inside, but the gap was beginning to look insurmountable.
The hosts held a 66-50 point lead entering the final quarter and they never looked likely to give it up. Villeneuve d’Ascq deservedly took the Eurocup Women title but Baxi Ferrol and Claire Melia can hold their heads high.
For the former, just getting here was a Cinderella story.
For Ireland’s Melia, she made history for Irish basketball on the grandest stage. She may have lost on the night, but she attracted the attention of the basketball world.
