French League semifinals, Game 3: June 8-9, 2012 - France

May 19, 2013

French League semifinals, Game 3: June 8-9, 2012

Chalon-sur-Saone and Le Mans are the two teams that will face each other later this month to become French champions after both won their three-game semifinals on Saturday in spectacular, coming-from-behind style. Chalon was the first team to qualify to the 2012 French League final by taking a thrilling 83-81 success over Orleans in Game 3 of their semifinal series. Blake Schilb scored the game-winner with 2 seconds left and led his team with 19 points. Alade Aminu and Malcolm Delaney nailed 13 apiece for the winners. For Orleans, Cedrick Banck played an otstanding game, leading all scorers with 29 points and converting 7 of his 12 three-pointers, Amara Sy drained 14 points, Georgi Joseph 12 and Brian Greene 10 for Orleans. Brian Greene gave a 10-28 margin to Orleans late in the first quarter, before the holsts from Chalon climbed within 27-32 in the second on a downtown shot from Bryant Smith. Still, Orleans kept a double-digit lead, 28-39 at halftime, that the guests increased to 48-60 at the end of the third quarter. An amazing offensive effort by Chalon made the difference in the last 10 minutes, when the hosts lit up the scoreboard for 35 points. With 19 seconds left and the score tied at 81-81, Marc-Antoine Pellin of Orleans was called for a traveling violation. Schilb found 2 points dirving to the rim with 2 seconds on the game clock, then Sy missed the potential shot to send the match to overtime. Next, Le Mans downed Cholet 78-59 behind 17 points and 7 rebounds by J.P. Batista, 13 points apiece from Travon Bryant and Charles Khaudi, and 11 by Marcellus Sommerville. Fabien Causer was the best contributor for Cholet with 16 points, Patrick Christopher drilled 15, Robert Dozier and William Gradit drained 10 each. A three-point-play completed by DeMarcus Nelson gave an early 13-24 margin to the guests, who finished the first quarter ahead 19-28. Carl Ona Embo extended the margin to 22-34 for Cholet before Khaudi's free throws cut the deficit to 37-42 at halftime. A short jumper by Gradit made it 47-56 for the visitors late in the third quarter, but a long-distance basket by Bryant got Le Mans as close as 57-58 after 30 minutes. Bryant started the last period with another three-pointer for his team's first lead all game, 60-58. Christopher tied it up again a few seconds later, but back-to-back tirples of Antoine Eito and Bryant gave a 66-60 cushion to Le Mans and from there the hosts never looked back. The single-game French League final will be held at Palais Omnisports Paris-Bercy next Saturday, June 16.

Record	Team	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3
2	Le Mans (4)	83	71	78
1	Cholet (8)	78	75	69
2	Chalon/Saône (2)	70	74	83
1	Orléans (3)	65	78	81

Semifinals Playoffs round games
Game 1	Le Mans vs. Cholet	83-78	June 2
Game 1	Chalon/Saône vs. Orléans	70-65	June 1
Game 2	Cholet vs. Le Mans	75-71	June 6
Game 2	Orléans vs. Chalon/Saône	78-74	June 5
Game 3	Le Mans vs. Cholet	78-69	June 9
Game 3	Chalon/Saône vs. Orléans	83-81	June 8