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LFB Challenge Round home victory to Asptt ArrasWith some clubs in financial problems the LFB Challenge Round is not as appealing as last season to the teams as they may not have to win this competition to qualify for Europe. For this match Asptt Arras were without Bernice Mosby who has already returned to the USA. The news from Challes-les-Eaux was more disturbing as it was officially announced that Corinne Bénintendi's function as head coach would come to an end once the season ends. The match itself turned into a LFB classic as both sides played end to end basketball for 40 minutes with the home side Asptt Arras winning (87-80).
She scored the last 4 points of the game from the free-throw line as she drew foul after foul in the last few seconds to give her side a good chance for the second leg. The teams skipped the round of observation right from the tip-off and Arras led (5-0) with less than 60 seconds played. Challes then got on the scoreboard through their captain Martina Gyurcsi-Luptakova but O’Hea kept Arras in front (12-9). Kirby Copeland put Challes-les-Eaux in front for the first time (14-13). They lost the lead as Sarah Michel and O’Hea fired shots to put the host back in front. The two teams were level once again before Michel fired in a shot from down-town to end the scoring by the end of the first period in favour of Arras (24-21). Asptt Arras continued their offensive onslaught at the start of the second period and stretched their lead (29-21) early in the second period.
Kirby Copeland and Marlous Nieuwveen helped Challes to take control as they went into the interval ahead (42-39). The third period turned into a shooting festival with both sides hitting many shots from beyond the arc. Challes-les-Eaux held on to their lead with Emilie Duvvier adding 5 points (65-60) before going into the final period. Arras were struggling to break down their opponents' defense and suffered a big blow with the elimination of Marielle Amant with seven minutes to play while trailing (64-69). When O’Hea was not scoring or dishing out assists, she created space for Stéphanie Beuzelin who in turn started her shooting festival. The game turned into a shoot-out between Beuzelin, Michel and O’Hea for Arras and Bedu-Janostinova and Copeland for Challes. Beuzelin tied the game in money-time with her second three-pointer of the quarter. This was quickly followed by a three-pointer by Leilani Mitchell which put the home side in the lead for good. O’Hea did the rest from the free-throw line to complete a final (12-0) run by the hosts. Michel and Beuzelin scored 19 and 16 points each while Mitchell had 5 steals and 5 assists with her 7 points Bedu-Janostinova scored 24 points and collected 14 rebounds, while Copeland contributed 18 points and 3 assists in defeat. LFB Challenge Round Box Score 2009 LFB Challenge round introduction Return to women playing basketball blog Return from LFB Challenge Round basketball news to LFB news index Picture credits: Date created: 21 April 2009
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Jenna O’Hea (left) was the match winner for Arras with 29 points and 5 assists. 
Silvia Bedu-Janostinova (right) started to win her battle in the paint and Challes clawed their way back into the game as she levelled the score (33-33).
