French League Quarterfinals, Game 2: May 29-30, 2009
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Le Mans and Orleans reached the French League semifinals by sweeping their respective best-of-three series against Gravelines and Elan Chalon. Le Mans did not find much trouble to down Gravelines 68-87 in Game 2 on the road on Friday. Joao Paulo Batista paced the winners with 20 points. David Bluthenthal added 19, Bobby Dixon had 16, Dee Spencer got 15 while Alain Koffi contributed 10 in an easy road win for Le Mans. Tony Skinn led Gravelines with 16 points. Orleans topped Chalon 54-65 in Game 2 on the road on Saturday. Ryvon Covile led the winners with 16 points. Brian Greene and Terence Dials each added 11 while Aldo Curti had 10 for Orleans. Jerome Schmitt and Thierry Rupert each had 12 points for Chalon. Meanwhile, Strasbourg and Chorale Roanne tied their respective best-of-three series to keep fighting for French League glory. Strasbourg topped Adecco Asvel 77-66 behind 24 points from Brion Rush and 15 from Steeve Essart. Ben Dewar had 19 points for Asvel, Chevy Troutman added 14 while Laurent Foirest got 10. Roanne defeated Nancy 81-70 at home in Game 2 on Friday. Chris Monroe led the winners with 28 points. Uche Nsonwu posted a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds, Aaron Harper added 14 points while Marc-Antoine Pellin had 10 for Roanne. Ricardo Greer had 14 points for Nancy, Jeff Greer and Lamayn Wilson each added 13 while Michel Morandais had 10 for the guests, that just as Asvel, host Game 3 on Wednesday.
In Gravelines, Dixon, Spencer and Antoine Diot struck from downtown in a 2-16 run that allowed Le Mans to get a 17-26 margin after 10 minutes. Bluthenthal and an unstoppable Batista soon helped Le Mans to break the game open, 32-50, at halftime. Free throws by Koffi boosted the guests' margin to 45-67 late in the third quarter, enough to seal the outcome long before the final buzzer. In Chalon, Dials helped Orleans to get a 40-49 margin after three quarters. Back-to-back dunks by Covile sealed the outcome, 42-57, midway through the final period. In Strasbourg, a three-pointer by Dewar brought Asvel within 54-50 at the end of the third quarter. Essart struck twice from downtown while Elson Mendy joined the three-point shootout to boost Strasbourg's margin to 69-55 with under 6 minutes to go. Asvel did not recover, allowing Strasbourg to tie the series. In Roanne, Nancy rallied from a double-digit deficit to get a 64-65 edge on a three-pointer by Jeff Greer. Monroe and Nsonwu combined for 11 points in the final 2 minutes to help Chorale to the tie the series.
| Quarterfinals Playoffs, best of 3 games |
| Record |
Team |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
| 1 |
Asvel Basket (1) |
91 |
66 |
June 3 |
| 1 |
Strasbourg (8) |
68 |
77 |
- |
| 1 |
Nancy (4) |
97 |
70 |
June 3 |
| 1 |
Roanne (5) |
79 |
81 |
- |
| 2 |
Orléans (2) |
68 |
65 |
x |
| 0 |
Chalon/Saone (7) |
64 |
54 |
x |
| 2 |
Le Mans (3) |
76 |
87 |
x |
| 0 |
BCM Gravelines (6) |
73 |
68 |
x |
| Quarterfinals Playoffs round games |
| Game 1 |
Asvel Basket vs. Strasbourg |
91-68 |
May 23 |
| Game 1 |
Orléans vs. Chalon/Saone |
68-64 |
May 23 |
| Game 1 |
Le Mans vs. BCM Gravelines |
76-73 |
May 23 |
| Game 1 |
Nancy vs. Roanne |
97-79 |
May 22 |
| Game 2 |
Strasbourg vs. Asvel Basket |
77-66 |
May 29 |
| Game 2 |
Chalon/Saone vs. Orléans |
54-65 |
May 30 |
| Game 2 |
BCM Gravelines vs. Le Mans |
68-87 |
May 29 |
| Game 2 |
Roanne vs. Nancy |
81-70 |
May 29 |
| Game 3 |
Asvel Basket vs. Strasbourg |
- |
June 3 |
| Game 3 |
Nancy vs. Roanne |
- |
June 3 |
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