First defeat in the EuroLeague Women

Spar Girona | Wednesday, 26 November 2025

Sooner or later it had to come. It was already announced in the preview that after the FIBA ​​break the level of the teams increases. And so it has been. The Girona team, who have signed a first quarter to frame, have not been able to overcome a Bourges that has been getting stronger with the passing of the minutes. The dominance of the offensive rebound by the French team has punished the aspirations of Spar Girona, who have conceded their first defeat in the continental competition by 69 to 63 .

The second chances gave Spar Girona a clear initial advantage, as the dominance of the offensive rebound allowed the Girona team to impose a 2-9 run (free throw by Jocyte, triple by Carol, basket by Coulibaly and 2+1 by Klara). Diaby took advantage of the free throws to bring the French team closer again, but Klara’s transition forced the home coach to stop the clash (2-11). The Girona team surprised with pressure all over the court, recovering the ball and putting the +10 with a triple by Carol (4-14). Duchet responded from long range, turning the confrontation into an exchange of three-pointers to 12 to 17. Coulibaly then came out strong under the basket and, although Pitarch-Granel brought Bourges closer with two consecutive transitions, Amihere’s offensive rebound and final basket made it 16 to 25 at the end of the quarter.

Canella’s triple in the first attack of the second quarter set the maximum of the match, with a +12 in favor of Spar Girona (16 to 28). From here, Bourges managed to impose its rhythm thanks to the success of Duchet and Pouyet, signing a set of 11 to 6 (27 to 31). Klara slowed the local reaction with a 2+1 and, from that moment on, both teams chained a stretch of offensive errors that ended with a counterattack by Pitarch-Granel to place the score at 29 to 34. Íñiguez stopped the clash to reorganize the team, and immediately Jocyte assisted Lola to increase the margin (29 to 36). Duchet answered with a triple, but Spar Girona replicated the action with a new connection between Jocyte and Lola (32 to 38). Good defense allowed Klara to assist Carol from field to field, forcing Bourges to stop the game again (32 to 40). Girona kept up the pressure all over the court, but were penalized with a foul and Pouyet scored from a free kick. Finally, Duchet converted another three-pointer to bring the French team closer before the break (37 to 40).

The changeover to the locker room went well for Roberto Íñiguez’s team, with Mariam’s first basket after an assist from Jocyte (37 to 42). Arica Carter took a step forward and, with her experience, took over the offensive direction of Spar Girona (39 to 47). Bourges insisted thanks to their dominance of the offensive rebound, but Coulibaly’s points and an assist from Mariam herself for Carol maintained the difference (43 to 51). However, Bourges took another step forward and, with Pouyet’s final triple, certified a 13 to 4 run that put them ahead for the first time in the match (56 to 55).

Lola put Girona ahead on the first attack, but Pouye’s good form increased the French advantage (61 to 57). Girona looked for a quick basket to change the dynamics, but Foppossi’s second chance and Duchet’s mid-range shot forced Íñiguez to look for solutions with 6 minutes to go (66 to 57). But the instructions had no effect on a Spar Girona outplayed in attack that did not score until 1:53 to go thanks to an assist from Canella for Mariam (67 to 59). Íñiguez called a timeout again at 1:09 to the end of the game to direct the last attacks, but Coulibaly’s three-pointer did not go in and Spar Girona lost on the Bourges court by 69 to 63.