A devastating 2-11 run by Spar Girona in the final minutes of the fourth quarter erased a 10-point lead for Valencia Basket in the first leg of the Liga Femenina Endesa semifinals (67-66) at the Roig Arena, leaving the series wide open and set to be decided this Sunday at Fontajau.
Girona struck first, fueled by Coulibaly, who opened the game with a 0-5 burst off two consecutive baskets. Valencia Basket responded with a run of their own, powered by Yvonne Anderson, who scored five straight points, and Leo Fiebich.
By punishing their opponents both inside and outside, Valencia Basket shifted their offensive rhythm, though their defense remained shaky. The Catalan side leaned on Juste Jocyte to answer with a 0-7 spurt, controlling the tempo and the scoreboard (14-20, at the end of the first quarter).
The ‘taronja’ team needed a spark, and Elena Buenavida and Raquel Carrera provided it. Their offensive rebounds and points transformed the team’s energy, sparking a 10-2 run that forced Girona coach Roberto Íñiguez to call a timeout. The game became a constant exchange of blows, and after the pause, Girona responded once more through Jocyte and Klara Holm, who steadied the play and knocked down threes to take a 31-34 lead into halftime.
Valencia Basket had found a way to contain Coulibaly near the rim but couldn’t control Girona’s perimeter shooting, as the visitors hit 50% from three-point range at the break. Still, after the halftime slowdown, Buenavida reignited the ‘taronja’ offense, cutting the deficit and reclaiming control on the scoreboard.
In a slow-paced, low-scoring contest, Valencia Basket thrived under the guidance of Leticia Romero. The Canary Islands-born point guard led a more aggressive team toward the basket, capitalizing on free throws to maintain their lead. Girona, physically overwhelmed, also clung to foul shots as they struggled to find any rhythm. At one point, they even drew a technical foul on Burgos for protesting a call on Carrera, but failed to take advantage.
With only three field goals in the third quarter, Girona found themselves in deep trouble as Leo Fiebich scored five straight points, sparking Valencia Basket’s best stretch before the final period (52-48, end of third quarter).
The German forward’s hot hand spread to her teammates, as Anderson, Carrera, and Buenavida extended the ‘taronja’ momentum, building a 10-point lead—their largest of the game—with five minutes remaining.
Girona appeared completely outmatched, but they still had time for a comeback. Two three-pointers from Laura Cornelius and Carolina Guerrero, combined with another low-post basket from Coulibaly, triggered a 0-11 run that flipped the game on its head.
One of those threes came while Romero was on the floor, sparking protests from the home bench that resulted in yet another technical foul. Only Romero’s ice-cold composure could break that run, securing the win for her team in a series that will be decided at Fontajau.
Liga Endesa
The Liga Endesa playoffs will begin on June 2 and end no later than June 28.
Deporte en Positivo
Chus Mateo will be at the XII International Campus.