LFB 9/2008 - Arras 62, Union Hainaut 61

Joy for joy! We finally have a boxscore. Unfortunately, it wasn't the kind of boxscore we wanted to see if we're fans of Union Hainaut (5-4) - which we certainly are, since Chioma Nnamaka's on the team. They went to Arras (5-4) with the hopes of clinching sole control of third place in the French League behind two undefeated 9-0 teams. Instead, Union Hainaut lost by one point on the road, 62-61, joining a six-way tie for third place.
In a 14-team league, eight teams are within one game of each other. Bizarre.

The box score is here.

After a close first quarter, Union Hainaut began to pull away in the second quarter, leading 32-26 at halftime. Arras began a third quarter comeback and with three minutes to go in the third quarter pulled back to a 40-39 lead. The score was 46-42 in favor of Arras at the end of three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, Union Hainaut caught up to 46-46 with eight minutes left.

The score was 55-55 with three minutes left.

The score was 58-58 with one minute left. Union Hainaut took a 60-58 lead. They missed two of three free throws on a foul on a three point shot, but Union Hainaut led 61-60 after Arras scored their next two points. They had possession of the ball with just six seconds left.

But Sabrina Reghaïssia committed an offensive foul against Mia Fisher. Agh. Fisher hit both of her free throws, Arras won 62-61 and the crowd of 1,300 went crazy.

Mia Fisher had analysed Barack Obama's victory for a French newspaper, and the Arras team decided to borrow an American political slogan for the rest of the season.

"Can we beat Union Hainaut?"
"Yes, we can!"

With the game so close, both team shot "close" - Arras shot 43 percent and Union Hainaut shot 42 percent. Union Hainaut won the battle of rebounding, 34 to 27. It must not have counted for much if you can't hit anything. Union Hainaut made a couple more turnovers. They missed a couple more free throws. Here and there, it all adds up.

Mia Fischer led all players for Arras with 15 points, including scoring the game-winning free throw. Fisher was a former player for Santa Barbara. Four players scored in double figures for Arras. Jenna O'Hea scored 12 points for Arras. O'Hea has also played for the Australian league, but is of Irish ancestry. The two WNBA players on the Arras roster - Leilani Mitchell of the New York Liberty and Bernice Mosby of the Washington Mystics - scored eight and 11 points, respectively.

Three players would score in double figures for Hainaut. Kathy Wambe scored 18 points and five assists for Union Hainaut, followed by Bernadette Ngoyisa with 14 points and eight rebounds. Chioma Nnamaka scored 9 points for the visitors.