Pierre Vincent should not be in a hurry to read the basketball news after his team lost for the second time, this time on the road (56-62) to Aix-en-Provence.
Nwal-Endéné Miyem did all she could for Bourges with 23 points. But it was not enough as her side were 1-from-8 beyond the arc and committed 20 turnovers.
For Aix-en-Provence it was a perfect evening: They shot 9-from-19 from beyond the arc and only turned the ball over 13 times. Aix also had three players in double digits.
Claudia Das Neves (left) led the scoring with 14 points and scored 4-from-6 from beyond the arc. Julie Page battled all evening and scored 13 points. But it was her 4 steals that helped win the match.
Tiffany Stansbury had a good game with 10 points and 9 rebounds.
For Emmanuel Coeuret, the basketball news tomorrow will be nice after what was a difficult start to the season.
Aix-en-Provence recording first win of the season
A mistake by Nwal-Endéné Miyem from Bourges allowed Julie Page to get the ball. She then released the ball to Sabrina Palie. Palie went quickly down the court and passed the ball out to Ivona Matic who scored the first points of the game.
The lead was just for 24 seconds because Anaël Lardy scored on the next attack for Bourges Basket. Miyem made up for her earlier error as she forced Palie to foul her giving her 2 points from the free-throw line.
The two teams stepped on the accelerator at the same moment. However Aix scored first as Page once again stole a ball, this time of Ana Lelas. She passed to Claudia Das Neves , who fired in a shot form the land of many (9-6).
Styliani Kaltsidou scored her first points for Bourges while both sides traded basket for basket.
Miyem (right) put Bourges back in front (12-11). Yet a second trey by Das Neves put her side back in front. Aix held on to the lead until the end of the first quarter (14-13).
Paoline Salagnac opened the scoring in the second quarter for Bourges to once again go in front (15-13).
Bourges looked much better defensively but were unable to find their mark offensively and missed the opportunity to extend their advantage.
After almost two minutes of scoreless action, Aix managed to score, when Tiffany Stansbury was allowed two attempts in the paint to score.
Afterwards Margaux Okou Zouzouo who had been on the court for 23 seconds received a perfect pass from Palie and scored (18-15).
Bourges were forced to change tactics and focused their attack on the inside play of Miyem and Emméline Ndongue.
The changes worked and Bourges went on a 10-0 run with 6 points coming from Miyem (14 first half points).
Emmanuel Coeuret, the coach from Aix, called for a time-out. He calmed his players down. His words worked because on the very first attack Anaïs Déas scored from beyond the arc after nice work from Matic.
Matic (7 first half points) then scored the remaining 5 points of the quarter which included a three-pointer as Aix went into the interval leading (26-25).
Miyem continued to cause havoc at the start of the third period. She first provided a the pass for Ilona Burgrova to score before adding 2 more points to her account as Bourges went back in the lead (29-26) 40 seconds into the quarter.
Another steal from Page, her 4th of the game, led to Stansbury scoring.
Ana Lelas was having no luck (0-from-7) and Pierre Vincent decided to give her a rest after another failed attempt.
Katarina Manic was robbed by Das Neves who then found Palie who scored to put Aix back in the lead.
Aix, playing more aggressively, started to win the one on one duels such as Stansbury blocking Kaltsidou.
Page finally scored her first points of the game in the resulting fast break after the block. As she was fouled by Burgrova while scoring, she made it a three-point play from the charity stripes.
Aix had the upper hand but were unable to stop Miyem who kept Bourges in the game as she tied the game once more (35-35).
Palie put Bourges under pressure with 5 points as Aix went 5 points clear (42-37) with just over a minute to the end of the quarter.
Bourges fought back and Lelas finally got on the score sheet with a free-throw. However a Page trey restored the 5-point lead (45-40) going into the final quarter.
The shooting from Bourges was all over the place at the start of the final quarter as they were unable to bring the score down.
Aix were not allowed to get into the paint but this did not stop Das Neves and Page hitting three-pointers to extend the lead (53-44) with just over five minutes to play.
Pierre Vincent called for a time-out and once again reverted back to Ndongue and Miyem as the focus of attack.
Bourges went on the offensive and forced Aix into committing quick fouls. Miyem opened the scoring with a forceful drive to the basket which she turned into a three-point play with a free-throw.
Kaltsidou then fired in from beyond the arc and Ndongue split a pair of free-throws.
With 3 ½ minutes left to play, Coeuret called for a time-out with his team leading (55-51).
Bourges’ free-throw shooting was not perfect but they had reduced their deficit to a single point (54-55) after Lardy split a pair.
The veteran from Brazil Das Neves fired in another three-pointer. With 2 more points from Page, Aix went into the last minute leading (60-56).
A comedy of errors by both sides in the last minute resulted in Aix holding on to the advantage and sealing the victory with a Guiday Mendy steal.
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For Aix-en-Provence it was a perfect evening: They shot 9-from-19 from beyond the arc and only turned the ball over 13 times. Aix also had three players in double digits.
Miyem (right) put Bourges back in front (12-11). Yet a second trey by Das Neves put her side back in front. Aix held on to the lead until the end of the first quarter (14-13).
