LFB play-off seeding is set

The 2012-2013 LFB regular season ended on a disappointing note for Tarbes who missed out of playing for the Ligue Féminine de Basketball Championship. Instead their fifth place finish leaves them in the Challenge Round series.

The final week of regular season action saw all the teams playing two games. On day 1, LFB round 25, Arras saw their dreams of leaving the relegation zone wiped out despite beating Nantes-Rezé (69-63).

Dawn Evans' and Aurélie Carmona's 22- and 18-point effort counted for nothing because elsewhere Charleville-Mézières and USO Mondeville won.

Arras' victory secured a 13th place finish which may still be enough for them playing basketball in the elite next season. Nantes-Rezé's loss ended their slim hope of finishing in the top 4.

Despite missing their last four free throws Charleville-Mézières held on to beat Aix-en-Provence (61-60) and secure their place in the elite for another season.

17-year old Marine Johannes with 7 points became the x-factor as USO Mondeville beat Bourges Basket (59-52) and end their relegation worries.

Victories for Lyon BF, Perpignan Basket and Tarbes meant that the final two places in the top 4 had to be decided on the final night of the regular season between the three of them.

Basket Landes joined Nantes-Rezé in the Challenge Round.

Round 26: End of regular season

Lyon BF faced Tarbes in a match that only the winner was sure of finishing in the top 4. Tarbes did all the hard work early on and were still leading with six minutes to play. However a three-ball by Leslie Ardon put the hosts in front and the pendulum was changing direction.

After four minutes of cat and mouse Lyon were able to take the lead for good and take the game (65-60).

Tarbes' qualification hopes then rested on USO Mondeville beating Perpignan Basket.  Mondeville, trailing by 12 points going into the final quarter, went on a 16-0 run to lead (63-59) with 3:50 to play.

Mondeville went scoreless the rest of the way while Perpignan managed to score just enough points to win the match by a singe point (64-63) and move in 4th place.

Villeneuve d'Ascq made sure of their qualification for the Challenge Round by beating Arras (78-73) although they would have still qualified because Aix-en-Provence lost their final game of the season.

The 2012-13 season of Ligue Féminine de BasketBall has been the most evenly contested edition in the history of the LFB.

Hainaut Basket who finished last had victories against Lattes Montpellier and Bourges Basket as well as qualifying for the quarter-final of the EuroCup Women. 

Arras, also relegated, took part on the EuroLeague Women, while USO Mondeville, finishing 11th and out of the play-offs, were just one win short of qualifying for the EuroLeague Women second round.

In France only the top four teams play off for the title of French champions, while the teams from 5th to 8th place play in the LFB Challenge Round with a best-of-three series instead of aggregate score. For the rest of the teams the season is over.

LFB play-offs / Best-of-three-game series

Game 1 - Wednesday, 10 April
Perpignan Basket (4) - Lattes Montpellier (1)
Lyon BF (3) - Bourges Basket (2)

Game 2 - Friday, 12 April
Lattes Montpellier (1) - Perpignan Basket (4)
Bourges Basket (2) - Lyon BF(3)

If a third game is required, it will be played on Sunday, 14 April on the court of the higher seeded team.

Challenge Round - Best-of-three-game series

Game 1 -Wednesday, 10 April
Villeneuve d'Ascq (8) - Tarbes (5)
Nantes Rezé (7) - Basket Landes (6)

Game 2 - Friday, 12 April
Tarbes (5) - Villeneuve d'Ascq (8)
Basket Landes (6) - Nantes Rezé (7)

If a third game is required, it will be played on Sunday, 14 April on the court of the higher seeded.

Round 26

Nantes Rezé 77-56 Charleville-Mézières
USO Mondeville 63-64 Perpignan Basket
Bourges Basket 77-67 Hainaut Basket
Basket Landes 92-64 Toulouse Métropole
Lyon BF 65-60 Tarbes
Villeneuve d'Ascq 78-73 Arras
Lattes Montpellier 67-63 Aix-en-Provence

Round 25

Aix-en-Provence 60-61 Charleville-Mézières
Arras 69-63 Nantes-Rezé
Tarbes 98-72 Villeneuve d'Ascq
Toulouse Métropole 60-72 Lyon BF
Hainaut Basket 63-53 Basket Landes
Perpignan Basket 85-66 Lattes Montpellier
USO Mondeville 59-52 Bourges Basket

2012-2013 final LFB regular season standings

Like this page / Aimez cette page