LFB Challenge Round semi-final
Hainaut Basket beat Basket Landes

With Nantes-Rezé finishing 8th during the LFB regular season and qualifying for the 2013 Challenge Round Final, the final match in the series between Hainaut Basket and Basket Landes had more at stake than just qualifying for the final.

For the winner of this series there was a place to get in the EuroCup Women competition, while for the loser there was a long wait until the French Cup final and a decision from the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) about a qualification for EuroCup.

Basket Landes was hoping to find the touch that enabled them win the first match in the series (56-44).

However the hosts had other ideas and for the first 20 minutes neither side was able to get going offensively. The score was (10-10) after 10 minutes and the teams remained tied (24-24) at the interval.

After the break Hainaut Basket were able to pick up their game at both ends of the court.

They stopped Basket Landes from scoring for the first six minutes of the third quarter while going 7 points clear (31-24).

While Emilie Silbande-Petiteau and Marina Solopova were running the show for the hosts, Basket Landes needed Anaïs Le Gluher-Cano (right in picture) to break the dead lock and get them going.

However scoring continued to be difficult as neither side was able to finish off any plays consistently. All the same Hainaut Basket went into the final quarter (37-30) in front.

While the third quarter was the most interesting in terms of basketball, the final quarter was more exciting.

Union Hainaut were able to bring Izabela Piekarska back into the game after her 3 fouls in the first quarter. She helped Amisha Carter in keeping Jennifer Humphrey away from the basket.

With Ashley Houts' trey and 2 points by Silbande-Petiteau, their side maintained the 7-point lead (42-35) with five minutes to play.

Basket Landes, driven by Le Gluher-Cano, did not give up and with two minutes to play they were back on level terms (43-43).

Carter then put the hosts in front for good with a 2+1 but moments later collided with Humphrey in mid-air as both players went for the ball. Carter landed on her right shoulder and took a while to get up.

Humphrey who was called for the foul apologised and both players shook hands. A time-out was called and Carter did not return to the court.

The remaining 58 seconds were played out on the free-throw line with the hosts holding on to victory (50-46).

Hainaut Basket: Amisha Carter 15 (10 rebounds), Tracy Albicy DNP, Carine Paul 0, Claire Jacotlot DNP, Emilie Silbande-Petiteau 9 (8 rebounds), Ashley Houts 6, Marie-Frédérique Aiyssi 4 (8 rebounds), Marina Solopova 11, Radoslava Bachvarova 0, Izabela Piekarska 5

Basket Landes: Katarina Manic 2 (4 assists), Allison Hightower 4 points, Anaïs Le Gluher-Cano 10, Julie Barennes 0, Amélie Pochet 6, Marion Laborde 9, Justyna Zurowska 9, Jennifer Humphrey 6 (10 rebounds)

Union Hainaut will meet Nantes-Rezé in the best-of-three final series while Basket Landes have to wait until after the French Cup final to know if they qualify for EuroCup Women next season.

2012 LFB Challenge Round game 3 picture gallery - Hainaut Basket vs. Basket Landes

 
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