No surprises as NF1 basketball matches get tougher
The month of March is referred to the hard time in NF1 basketball. With less than two months to the end of the regular season the games become tougher.
Some teams are fighting for promotion and play-off spots at the top end of the table, while other teams are fighting to escape relegation at the bottom of the table.
Limoges leading the way at the top
Limoges remain in first place and are still two games ahead of their nearest rivals after beating Colomiers (78-59).
They were given a tough time during the first 20 minutes of their home match and went into the locker room leading (41-36).
However they turned things around during the third quarter and opened up a 15-point lead (61-46) going into the final quarter.
Once again the experience of Marie-Frédérique Ayissi for Limoges helped as she led her team offensively to victory.
Roche Vendée ended the six-game wining streak of Illkirch-Graffenstaden with a (76-62) home victory.
Mylène Balat's three-point shooting in the final period for Roche Vendée broke the resistance of the SIG and enabled her team to finally take control of the game.
She finished the game with 19 points and shot 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
For the SIG it was just one of those games when nothing went right. Allison Vernerey for example managed only 3-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Roche Vendée move up to third position while the SIG drop to fourth.
Armentières made it three wins in a row as they beat Nice (76-66) to stay in third position.
Clubs still in the NF1 basketball play-off picture
Charleville-Mézières had no answer to the three-point shooting of Strasbourg ABC and ended up losing on the road(67-59).
Strasbourg ABC scored 13-of-27 from beyond the arc compared to 2-of-19 from their guests.
Laurence Cayot scored 5-of-8 from beyond the arc as she compiled 17 points.
She hit back to back three-pointers in the final period to give Strasbourg ABC the first significant lead of the game (62-51) which set up the final victory.
Charline Savage also had a good day from beyond the arc, with 5-of-9 as she led the Strasbourg attack with 22 points.
Charleville-Mézières drop to fifth place while Strasbourg ABC remain in seventh place.
Toulouse stay in the chasing pack after overcoming Rennes(73-71) to remain in sixth place.
Nice, Dunkerque and Rennes all lost this weekend but are still fixed in the middle of the table.
They are very unlikely to qualify for the end of season play-off and should stay out of the relegation zone.
NF1 Basketball relegation fight
Club
Points
1
Limoges
41
2
Armentières
39
3
Roche Vendée
38
4
Illkirch-Graffenstaden
38
5
Charleville Mézières
37
6
Toulouse
36
7
Strasbourg ABC
35
8
Nice Cavigal Olympic
32
9
Dunkerque Malo
31
10
Rennes Avenir
31
11
Etoile de Voiron
30
12
US Laveyron
30
13
Ifs
29
14
US Colomiers
27
15
Pleyber-Christ
27
16
CFBB (INSEP)
27
Voiron made no mistakes in beating the CFBB (92-55), while US Laveyron came out on top against Dunkerque (80-72).
Ifs had to battle all the way at home to win against Pleyber-Christ (65-59) in the top relegation zone match of the weekend.
Mélanie Venier from Pleyber-Christ fired in 11 points during the third period as her team took control going into the final period leading (50-46).
However a three-pointer by Julie Villain, as the game entered money-time, was enough to put Ifs back in the driving seat (61-57) as they held on for the victory.
Ifs have now moved two games clear off Pleyber-Christ and Colomiers. But they still remain in the relegation zone.
All the results from round twenty-two for the Nationale Féminine 1 are listed below:
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Strasbourg ABC scored 13-of-27 from beyond the arc compared to 2-of-19 from their guests.
