Seychelles Basketball Federation (SBF) Cup-Stars take game one |21 October 2004

On the Palais des Sports court, Mathiot, the more-experienced of the two playmakers, showed that she might have lost some speed but not her skills.

The 28-year-old international, determined to make Désir swallow her words, played one of her best matches in a long time to help Anse Etoile Stars win game one 54-49.

With her gloves on to make a number of steals, Mathiot, who netted just one 3-pointer in the match, was Stars’ catalyst as she made her teammates feel at ease on the court.

After trailing Bel Air 6-11 at the end of the first quarter, Stars outscored their opponents 20-13 in the second to go for the break with a two-point (26-24) lead.

The Bel Airians lost the game in the third quarter as Stars pounded the offensive board. It took Bel Air, who should try and find an explanation for their series of clear misses on lay-ups and short jumpers, 6 minutes 20 seconds to score their first third-quarter basket through Désir.

Coach Michel Malbrook’s Stars, who achieved a League and Cup double last year but lost the championship crown to Bel Air this season, won the third quarter 18-10.

Bel Air got back into the match in the fourth and final quarter and even though they won 17-10, it was too late as Stars, who left playmaker Mathiot on the substitutes bench for long spell with four personal fouls, had already wrapped up the victory.

Stars’ international centre Simone Malbrook was the game’s top marksman with 20 points, including a 3-pointer, while Lucia Souffe added 16. Both Malbrook and Souffe finished the game with four fouls apiece.

Former Malagasy forward Lalatiana Razaiarisoa, who has often time carried Bel Air to victory, finished with 15 points. Playmaker Désir was Bel Air’s second best scorer with 12 points.

“Her (Burtina Désir’s) comments in the newspaper made me double my determination and play tough basketball. We’ve achieved what I predicted: a game one win. Now we want them (Bel Air) on Saturday and we will finish the series on a 2-0 score,” Mathiot told Sports Nation after the match.

Game two of the series is on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Palais dess Sports. In the event of Bel Air getting a win, the decisive third match will be played the next day at the same time and venue.

Meanwhile, game one of the men’s best-of-three final between defending champions PLS Hawks and Men division 1A League champions Premium Cobras is this afternoon (Thursday October 21), at 5.15 p.m. at the Roche Caïman venue.

G. G.