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EuroCup Women joy for
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A French team will participate in the 2011 EuroCup Women final for the first time since 2006.
Arras Pays d'Artois qualified for the final with a (134-133) aggregate victory over Russian club Chevakata after drawing the second match (67-67).
French international Johanne Gomis secured the qualification for Arras with the last shot of the game.
Gomis who played the full 40 minutes finished on 18 points. Her team-mate Pauline Akonga N’Simbo added 18 points and collected 12 rebounds.
The EuroCup Women jinx continues for number one seeds with the Russian club eliminated.
The Russian club, playing at home, struggled and trailed for most of the game. However they appeared to have secured qualification with two free-throws by Maria Cherepanova (66-63).
Yet a bad pass by Jessica Davenport was intercepted by Gomis (in picture) who went on to score and make it a one point game in favour of the hosts.
Arras had no choice but to foul immediately sending Loree Moore to the free-throw line. Moore split the pair leaving the way open for Arras.
Gomis took the last shot on the buzzer. She had been confident that the ball would drop. But she admitted that it was an ugly shot.
Bruno Blier, the coach from Arras, said that it was really crazy but they were in the final. He continued that in the final minutes the were not getting many calls in their favour from the officials so he used a time-out to calm the players down. In the end they qualified which is a historical moment for Arras Pays d’Artois.
Chevakata: Loree Moore 12 (4 assists), Elena Kharchenko DNP, Maria Cherepanova 14 (10 rebounds and 5 assists), Daria Ezhova DNP, Elena Danilochkina 11, Anna Mikheeva 0, Anna Petrakova 2, Elena Volkova 10, Yuliya Kiseleva 0, Jessica Davenport 18 (14 reboundss)
Arras: Leilani Mitchell 9, Krissy Badé 2, Sarah Michel 2, Johanne Gomis 18 (8 steals), Olesia Malashenko 8, Adja Konteh 0, Marielle Amant 5, Aija Putnina 0, Pauline Akonga N’Simbo 18 (12 rebounds)
Arras won the first leg (67-66).
The first leg of the final will be played in Israel on Wednesday, 17 March 2011 with the second game in Arras seven days later, on the 24 March 2011.
Defending champions are out of EuroCup Women
Sony Athinaikos' defence as EuroCup Women Champions has come to an end despite beating Elitzur Ramla (88-81).
Elitzur Ramla won the first leg (74-59) and qualify for the final (155-147).
Israeli internationals Shay Doron (in picture) and Rivi Grinboym fired in 20 points each for the guests from Israel, while the American duo Le'Coe Willingham and Tanisha Wright had 19 and 18 points. The only other player from Elitzur Ramla to score was Natasa Ivancevic with 4 points.
Sony Athinaikos failed to make up the 15-point deficit from the first leg at any time during the match despite the efforts of Katerina Zohnová and Dimitra Kalentzou with 18 and 16 points each.
Sony Athinaikos: Dimitra Kalentzou 16, Iouliti Lymoura 9 (6 assists), Olga Chatzinikolaou 8, Magdalini Karampatzaki DNP, Aikaterina Sotiriou 3, Zoi Kechagia DNP, Marina Kress 10, Afroditi Kosma DNP, Ruth Riley 11, Latoya Davis 10, Ana Baletic 3, Katerina Zohnová 18
Elitzur Ramla: Shay Doron 20, Natasa Ivancevic 4, Laine Selwyn 0, Ornit Shwartz 0, Shiran Zairy 0, Rivi Grinboym 20, Le'Coe Willingham 18, Tanasha Wright 19 (5 assists), Elena Aizenshtat 0, Ganna Zarytska 0
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EuroCup Women picture credits:
Laurent Raison
Romain Chaib
FIBA Europe
Date created: 05 March 2011
