Swift sweep. Bourges won its fifteenth French championship title in Lyon on Saturday by winning for the third time in a row (59-53) against Asvel in the final of the Women’s League (LFB). The “Tangos” won on Sunday (76-66) and Tuesday (78-62) at the Prado. This is the first sweep (3-0) in the best-of-five final since the format was reinstated in 2017.
First in the regular season, winners of the Eurocoupe, Olivier Lafargue’s players complete with this title, the first since 2018, an almost perfect season, with also a Coupe de France final, lost against Basket Landes in Paris.
Caught in the quarter-finals against Lattes-Montpellier (2-1) and in the semi-finals by reigning champions Basket Landes (2-1), Élodie Godin’s teammates put the Lyon attack to the test throughout along the three matches of the final.
The defensive fabric of Bourges
Saturday, in the sauna of the Mado-Bonnet room, the Berruyères still imposed their defense, leaving Asvel a third time with less than sixty-six points scored. After going through a long tunnel in attack in the second quarter (6 points scored) during which they scored only two baskets (28-28 at the break), they made the difference between the third and fourth quarters passing an 18-3 with notably eight points in a row from US winger Kristen Mann (16 points) to take a comfortable lead (51-41) in this very closed match.
While the backs Julie Allemand (6 points to 2 out of 9 on shots) and Marine Johannès (3 points to 1 out of 5) missed out, Asvel, once again lacking in external success (3 out of 17 at three points ) and unable to find quick play to escape the defensive web of Bourges, found the resources to return to three units in the last minute (53-56) thanks to Aleksandra Crvendakic (14 points, 11 rebounds, 6 stray bullets).
But two free throws from Isabelle Yacoubou extinguished the last hopes of Pierre Vincent’s players. ” This title, I take it selfishly for me, my family, my companion after all the hardships I have gone through “, reacted to the microphone of “Sport in France” Isabelle Yacoubou (36 years old), pivot of the “Braqueuses” Olympic vice-champions 2012, who won her second crown of champion of France, after that of 2010 with Tarbes which she will join next season.
Iliana Rupert confirms her departure to Bologna
“ We toughened up the defense a bit and it got more complicated for them, they went back to their individualism. We always managed to find the hot player in attack, Kristen Mann or Keisha Hampton “savored Sarah Michel (8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 shot), one of the Bourges internationals. ” It was a long season, I struggled a lot after the Games but I rarely played in a team with such mental strength, we always moved forward. I tried to lift them in important matches, I like to give everything for my teammates.”added the rear, one of the pillars of a very experienced team since apart from Yacoubou and Michel (3 titles, the second in Bourges), Endy Miyem (sixth with Bourges), absent on Saturday due to an injury but also captain Elodie Godin (fifth title, third with Bourges) are also multi-crowned.
Iliana Rupert (20 years old, 6 points, 9 rebounds), she left the Cher club with a first crown. The League MVP confirmed her departure to Virtus Bologna (Italy) announced by our site on May 24: “ It was my last match after four great years and I’m finishing in the best possible way. »
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