The winner of last night’s Women’s Championship Small Final was the All’D Stars, who defeated the Black Panthers 37-35 to claim the honorary title of Third Place Champions for this season. The Larnaca-based team secured a victory to end their season on a high note, capping off a very strong performance that could have potentially led them to an even higher ranking. The same can be said for the Black Panthers, who showed clear improvement compared to previous seasons. Both teams deserve a huge round of applause.
The game, which opened yesterday’s Final Four at the Agios Dometios indoor stadium, was played in a great atmosphere, free from pressure and anxiety, allowing both coaches to give playing time to all their available players. Sylvia Charalambous’ team got off to a better start, leading 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. However, in the second period, Chrysos Themistokleous’ team’s full-court press paid off, making things difficult for the “Panthers.” This led to a turnaround by halftime, with All’D Stars taking a 24-17 lead.
For most of the second half, the home team maintained a steady 8-10 point lead and controlled the flow of the game, ending the third quarter up 30-23. A bit of complacency from the All’D Stars at the start of the fourth quarter, combined with a reawakening from the “Panthers,” suddenly shifted the momentum. The visiting team closed the gap to just two points (32-34) with five minutes remaining.
The final minutes of the game were balanced on a knife’s edge, with both teams fighting for the win on equal terms and simultaneously missing multiple opportunities to secure the victory. The final score of 35-37 was sealed through a series of successful and missed free throws from both sides, with the All’D Stars celebrating their trophy win at the end.
For the winners, Maria Savva stood out with 11 points, followed by Elena Kalli and Andria Kirkini with 10 points each. For the Black Panthers, Stella Theodosiou was exceptional with 19 points, with Ana Ines Quesada as her main supporter with 9. We warmly thank both teams for their excellent sportsmanship and outstanding performance throughout the season and hope to see them with us again next autumn, even stronger and more competitive!
