LFB (France) 9/2008 - Challes-les-Eaux 70, Villeneuve d'Ascq 64

With Bourges and Tarbes dominating the French league, the teams in the middle of the back - which includes just about all of them - are looking to make a break for the top. Both Challes-les-Eaux and Villeneuve d'Ascq were tied at 4-4 going in. Which team would win?

Not Iziane Castro Marques's new team, unfortunately. Villeneuve d'Ascq would lose to Challes-les-Eaux on the road, 70-64.

The boxscore for the game is here.

Challes-les-Eaux took an 11-point lead after the first quarter, and Villeneuve d'Ascq could only close to within eight points by halftime, 40-32. Challes-les-Eaux managed to keep things even during both quarters of the second half, and got the win to move them beyond .500 in the French League at 5-4.

Challes-les-Eaux outscored Villeneuve d'Ascq 45 percent to 37 percent in the game. Both teams were aggressive at the boards, but Challes-les-Eaux took a slight edge over the visitors.

Both teams had the same number of turnovers, but Villeneuve d'Ascq took more free throws than Challes-les-Eaux. Unfortunately for Villeneuve d'Ascq, both teams shot the same at the free throw line - 66 percent.

For Challes-les-Eaux, Carly Wilson - an Australian player - scored 18 points and Martina Luptakova-Gyurski added 19 points and 5 rebounds. Silvia Janostinova-Bedu and Ivone Bogoje each had 11 rebounds. Kirby Copeland, a former Virginia Tech player, scored four points.

Géraldine Robert scored 21 points and 11 rebounds for visiting Villeneuve d'Ascq. Iziane Castro Marques scored 19 points, but also had three turnovers and three fouls. It took Castro Marques 22 shots to score those 19 points for some inefficient shooting on Castro Marques's part. Milijana Evtoukhovitch scored 11 points and 9 rebounds. Jolene Anderson was only able to score two points in 20 minutes.

ESBVA is usually good at posting pictures. When I have some, I'll add some photographic flavor.