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LFB farewell for Bruno Blier
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Nantes-Rezé's LFB season continues after beating Arras(72-50) in the second leg of the challenge round semi-final.
Nantes-Rezé qualified with an aggregate score victory (131-121).
For Arras Johanne Gomis was unable to travel for the game because of her injury from the first leg. It was also announced officially that Gomis will be playing for Nantes-Rezé next season.
However the news of the evening belonged to Bruno Blier (in picture) who has been the coach of Arras for the past 18 seasons.
This was his last game in charge along with his assistant Cécile Constanty. This game was also the last one for Marielle Amant, who joined Arras from the CFBB four seasons ago. She will be going to Bourges Basket.
The LFB challenge round final will be played over two legs with game one in Mondeville, Friday 6 May 2011 and the final game in Nantes on Monday, 9 May 2011.
You will be able to watch the second game live on our web-tv page.
Nantes-Rezé out to defend challenge round title
Nantes-Rezé got off to a perfect start with the first 5 points of the game and were leading (11-8) after five minutes.
The duel between Mame-Marie Sy-Diop from Nantes-Rezé and Pauline Akonga N’Simbo was living up to its billing. Sy-Diop finished the first quarter with 9 points while Akonga N’Simbo scored 6 for Arras.
Meanwhile Laurent Buffard started to rotate his bench and was rewarded by his players as they finished the first quarter ahead by 10 points (24-14).
Caroline Aubert started to conduct the play at the start of the second quarter. She scored the first points to level the aggregate score (26-14).
Arras picked up their game with Adja Konteh (in picture) being the catalyst during a 7-0 run.
Nantes went back to their speciality with Allison Hightower, Mélanie Plust and Yuliya Andreyeva all connecting from the land of many to go 14 points clear (37-23) and take the aggregate lead.
Arras managed to stay in the match with scores from Leilani Mitchell and Konteh.
Both teams stepped up defensively during the last two minutes of the quarter with the only scoring coming from the free-throw line.
However Nantes-Rezé went into the locker room in front (43-28) for an overall advantage of 3 points.
The third quarter was more physical and the officials were often blowing their whistles for fouls. Lindsay Taylor was the major victim picking up 3 fouls in four minutes.
Nantes-Rezé's 17-point lead was slowly eroded and with 26 minutes played Akonga N’Simbo reduced it to 10 points with a shot from the land of many (51-41).
The last four minutes became rather scrappy with a lot of unforced turnovers. Arras slowed the game down as much as possible but were unable to stop Emilija Podrug (left) from scoring (55-43) with a minute to play in the quarter.
Podrug opened the scoring in the final quarter but Sarah Michel responded with a trey for Arras.
Yet Podrug continued her one-lady show with a couple more points from the charity stripes which restored the 13-point advantage (59-46) for Nantes.
Arras were struggling and Hightower swung the tie in favour of Nantes-Rezé with 5 points and an important steal.
Nantes-Rezé led by 20 points with five minutes left to play (67-47) and just played out the remaining minutes without taking any risks to win the match (72-50) and the tie (131-121).
Nantes-Rezé 72-50 Arras
Nantes-Rezé: Florine Basque DNP, Caroline Aubert 10, Joyce Cousseins-Smith 0, Mélanie Plust 3, Allison Hightower 11, Yuliya Andreyeva 6, Mame-Marie Sy-Diop 16, Lindsay Taylor 10, Sabine Niedola 2, Emilija Podrug 14
Arras: Leilani Mitchell 13, Laury Aulnette DNP, Krissy Badé 4, Sarah Michel 5, Olesia Malashenko 2, Adja Konteh 3, Marielle Amant 4, Aija Putnina 1, Pauline Akonga N’Simbo 18
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LFB Basketball news picture credits:
LFB
Lady Hoops
Marie Bourey
Date created: 30 April 2011
