Triple Trekt Women defeated Landelijk Lions Women 73-69 in the WBL on Friday evening. The result sees the home side close the gap on the top half of the table while the visitors drop further from the summit. By then you could see this was going to be one of those matches that decided more than just three points.
The Lions arrived with a reputation to defend — twenty-two wins from twenty-seven games, second place, and a comfortable cushion at the top. But Triple Trekt have nothing to lose at home and picked up two bookings in five minutes early on, metaphorically speaking. They held a high line, pressed from the whistle, and the away end never stopped.
Recent form told a different story for both sides. Triple Trekt had beaten Zwolle 69-54 on October fourth but also lost to Leiden 85-67 and KSTA United 67-54. The Lions were less consistent — they lost to Grasshoppers 84-66 on October third but won comfortably against Zwolle 65-58. Things came to a head when the home side closed the game out, despite the visitors having the deeper squad on paper.
We had given an away win at 57 per cent confidence. The forecast didn't materialise. What broke it was the home side's ability to hold their nerve in the final quarter — they picked up the ball and hit them on the break when it mattered. The visitors were left flat-footed, and you could see the frustration building.
The result leaves Triple Trekt five points clear of the drop zone with thirteen losses and a lot of work to do. For the Lions, it's their fifth defeat — not catastrophic, but a warning sign. The table hasn't shifted dramatically, but momentum has.
