Lisbon’s under-14 women’s basketball team successfully defended their title at the 17th Festa do Basquetebol in Albufeira, beating Porto 41-49 in a thrilling final. The Lisbon team trailed 21-13 at halftime but made a strong comeback in the second half to secure the win.
The game was closely contested until the third quarter when Lisbon started to pull ahead. Porto had been leading by up to 10 points throughout the first half but struggled to maintain their pressure defense in the second half. The Lisbon team’s coach made some key adjustments that helped them gain momentum.
Key Players
Nicole Figueira was instrumental in Lisbon’s victory, scoring 13 points with 3/4 three-pointers. Sofia Moreira also played a crucial role, scoring 6 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Six players from Lisbon scored at least 6 points each.
For Porto, Mafalda Barbosa was the standout player, scoring 13 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and making 2 assists. Inês Saraiva also made significant contributions, scoring 8 points and grabbing 3 rebounds.
Road to the Final
The Lisbon team had a tough road to the final, beating Madeira 36-60 in the semifinals. Porto, on the other hand, defeated Santarém 51-32 to reach the final. The two teams have a long history of competing against each other, and this was their eighth meeting in the final. The score is now tied at 4-4.
The final score was 41-49 in favor of Lisbon, with the last quarter seeing a decisive surge from the team. The game was tied 32-32 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Lisbon’s three-pointers helped them pull ahead and secure the win.
Other results from the tournament include:
- Viseu beating Alentejo 51-48
- Leiria beating Vila Real 53-38
- Aveiro beating Setúbal 43-30
- Castelo Branco beating Viana do Castelo 30-25
- Braga beating Açores 48-37
- Santarém beating Madeira 37-23 in the third-place playoff
- Coimbra beating Algarve 43-38 in the fifth-place playoff
The tournament saw 18 district teams competing, and Lisbon’s win marks their sixth title in the under-14 women’s category. The Associação de Basquetebol do Porto (ABP) team remains the most successful team in the category, with seven titles.