French League Semifinals, Game 1: June 5-6, 2009
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 Entente Orleanaise Loiret and Sluc Basket Nancy struck first in the best-of-three French League semifinals with respective narrow wins against Le Mans and Adecco Asvel. Orleans reached the title game by edging Le Mans 76-75 on a game-winning basket by Brian Greene. He also paced the winners with 19 points. Cedrick Banks added 15 while Terence Dials had 11 for Orleans. Alain Koffi led Le Mans with 15 points. Bobby Dixon, David Bluthenthal and Dee Spencer each added 13 while JP Batista and Antoine Diot had 11 apiece for the guests, that led 65-72 late in the game. Greene had 7 points in a 9-0 run and then sealed its outstanding performance with the game-winner. Meanwhile, Nancy survived a do-or-die thriller by edging regular season champion Adecco Asvel 69-70 in Lyon in Game 1 on Friday. John Cox became the game hero with the go-ahead free throws with 2 seconds to go. He also led the winners with 19 points. Ricardo Greer added 15 while Akin Akingbala posted a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds for Nancy. Amara Sy, Laurent Foirest and Eric Campbell led Asvel each with 11 points. Ali Traore had 10 for Asvel, that led 64-58 with 3 minutes to go. Nancy rallied and took the lead, 67-68, on a three-pointer by Michel Morandais. J.R. Reynolds sank a jumper but Cox drew a foul and calmly made free throws to make Nancy steal the home court advantage.
In Orleans, the hosts opened the game with a 10-2 run that Aldo Curti capped with consecutive triples. Koffi and Batista tried to change things for Le Mans while a three-pointer by Diot and a jumper by Spencer got the guests as close as 16-15. Banks struck twice from downtown to keep Orleans out of troubles, 24-17, after 10 minutes. Diot kept pacing Le Mans while Spencer joined the three-point shootout for a 32-30 Le Mans deficit. Greene buried back-to-back triples while free throws by Dials gave Orleans a 40-34 at halftime. Orleans still led 53-45 late in the third quarter, but consecutive triples by Dixon ignited a 0-15 run that Bluthenthal capped with a three-point play, good for a 53-60 lead. Orleans found a go-to guy in Banks but Bluthenthal struck from downtown to keep Le Mans ahead, 65-72. Greene had 7 consecutive points in a 9-0 run that Anthony Dobbins capped with a layup for a 74-72 lead already in the final minute. Dixon scored off a steal to put Le Mans back ahead, 74-75. It all came down to the final play, in which a put-back basket by Greene allowed Orleans to win the game.
In Lyon, Ricardo Greer and Lamayn Wilson allowed Nancy to get an early 0-6 lead. Ricardo Greer kept pacing Nancy but a 6-0 run that Eric Campbell capped with a layup tied the game at 11-11. Ricardo Greer and Cyril Julian kept Nancy within 18-17 after 10 minutes. A three-point play by Foirest and a triple by Nebojsa Bogavac gave Asvel a 26-19 lead. Campbell kept pacing the hosts while back-to-back layups by Aymeric Jeanneau boosted Asvel's lead to double digits, 37-27. Troutman helped Asvel to keep a 43-33 halftime margin. Akinbala and Wilson tried to change things for Nancy but a free throw by Sy fixed the score at 55-47 after 30 minutes. Free throws by Sy made it a six-point game, 64-58, with 3 minutes to go. Cox and Ricardo Greer brought Nancy back to life while a critical triple by Morandais gave the guests a 67-68 edge. Reynolds hit a jumper but Wilson quickly inbounded the ball to find Cox, who was fouled with 2 seconds to go. Cox sank both free throws win it for Nancy.
| Semifinals Playoffs, best of 3 games |
| Record |
Team |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
| 0 |
Asvel Basket (1) |
69 |
June 10 |
*June 13 |
| 1 |
Nancy (4) |
70 |
- |
- |
| 1 |
Orléans (2) |
76 |
June 9 |
*June 13 |
| 0 |
Le Mans (3) |
75 |
- |
- |
| Semifinals Playoffs round games |
| Game 1 |
Asvel Basket vs. Nancy |
69-70 |
June 5 |
| Game 1 |
Orléans vs. Le Mans |
76-75 |
June 6 |
| Game 2 |
Nancy vs. Asvel Basket |
- |
June 10 |
| Game 2 |
Le Mans vs. Orléans |
- |
June 9 |
| Game 3 |
Asvel Basket vs. Nancy |
- |
*June 13 |
| Game 3 |
Orléans vs. Le Mans |
- |
*June 13 |
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