Roundup: BLMA finish on top in France

MONTPELLIER (EuroLeague Women / EuroCup Women) – BLMA have been confirmed as the Regular Season winners of the LFB after they clinched top spot over the weekend.

BLMA RIDING HIGH IN FRANCE
A strong team performance by BLMA helped them secure pole position as they eased past Hainaut 67-53, with Anael Lardy impressing with 13 points and 5 assists.

All eyes were also on the return of Celine Dumerc to Le Prado, but the Les Bleues playmaker had a night to forget and ended up on the losing team as Basket Landes went down 67-60. Forward Kyla Alexander posted 14 points and 12 rebounds for Tango Bourges Basket who will finish fourth.

ESBVA-LM had little difficulty in overcoming relegation-threatened Lyon 80-62, while Flammes Carolo Basket waltzed past the struggling UFAB-49 Angers 78-62 as Belgian wing Kim Mestdagh scored 16 points.

There was joy for Nantes Reze as they wrapped up a Play-Off spot as Katherine Plouffe recorded a majestic 29 points and 14 rebounds as they conquered Cavigal Nice Basket 80-71 on the road.

ZELLOUS INFLICTS DERBY PAIN ON GALATASARAY
There was a blow for Galatasaray ahead of this week’s vital EuroCup Women Semi-Finals after they sustained an 89-76 defeat at the hands of city rivals Besiktas. It was naturalized Croatia national team guard Shavonte Zellous who stood out with a spectacular 35 points for the winning side.

Yakin Dogu Universitesi are still in pole position after Kayla McBride fired 28 points to help overcome Mersin 79-71. There was also a big win for Bellona Agu who roared past MBK Dogus Hastanesi 80-53 as veteran wing Saziye Ivegin Uner continued her good form with 19 points.

There was also another positive result for Samsun who are steering themselves towards safety after 12 points and 14 rebounds from Glory Johnson facilitated a 73-65 win against relegation rivals Girne Universitesi.

VADEEVA AT THE DOUBLE IN RUSSIAN PLAY-OFFS

Young center Maria Vadeeva got Dynamo Kursk off and rolling in their Play-Off Quarter-Finals series against Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje as she accumulated a double-double of 15 points and 11 boards in a huge 93-60 win at her former club.

Nadezhda were similarly dominant in a 103-71 victory at MBA Moscow, with Elizabeth Williams leading the way with a 20-point haul. Meanwhile Dynamo Moscow took a narrow 75-70 home success against Chevakata, with Lithuania national team guard Kamile Nacickaite amassing 20 points.

QUARTER-FINAL SHOCKS IN POLAND
There was a wake-up call in the BLK Quarter-Finals for Wisla Can-Pack as the defending champions lost the opening game of the series 66-61 on their home floor against AZS UMCS Lublin. Belgian guard Hind Ben Abdelkader scored 20 points but it wasn’t enough to inspire her team to victory.

Another EuroLeague Women side in CCC Polkowice lost 84-82 at Gorzow even though teenage star Raisa Musina poured in 25 points.

Regular season table-toppers Sleza Wroclaw were also left stunned as they went down 79-74 at home to Basket 90 Gdynia which wasn’t what the newly crowned BLK Coach of the Year Arkadiusz Rusin was looking for.

ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE

Castors Braine celebrated another Belgian Cup title over the weekend after they stormed past Waregem 95-67, as Kahleah Copper exploded for a stylish 24 points to lead her team to victory.

Gesam Gas Lucca are still the top team in Italy after they swept aside Umbertide 87-46 as New Zealand’s Jillian Harmon landed 17 points. Reyer Venezia and Beretta Famila Schio are in second and third respectively, with the former beating Saces Dike Napoli 67-61 and Schio benefiting from 19 points and 10 rebounds from new signing Natasha Howard as they cruised past Broni by 79-39.

In the wake of their recent EuroLeague Women elimination, Perfumerias Avenida got back to the business of defending their Liga Femenina title with a 62-43 win at Lacturale Araski as Adaora Elonu scored 16 points. Spar CityLift Girona are still chasing and won 91-54 at Bembibre.

There was history in the Women’s British Basketball League as Sevenoaks Suns beat Leicester Riders 82-67 in the Trophy Final to win their first top flight silverware behind 21 points from MVP Anne Pedersen.

FIBA