EuroCup Semifinals Game 1 March 15th-16th
The first semifinal series started on Wednesday and the two French teams played with Kennedy Burke and Kamiah Smalls helping 7 seed Villeneuve-d’Ascq build a lead on the road only for 19 seed Lyon to recover in the fourth quarter and win 84-80. Jessica Shepard and top seed Reyer had trailed at end of each road leg in the knockout rounds, but were looking to change that after a close first half on Thursday. Teaira McCowan and 13 seed Galatasaray kept building their lead in the second half and a 74-49 margin puts them in strong position to do what the last three opponents could not do to complete the ranking upset.
https://www.fiba.basketball/eurocupwomen/22-23/game/1503/LDLC-ASVEL-Feminin-Villeneuve-d-Ascq-LM#|tab=boxscore
(19) Lyon [84]: Williams 19/9r Johannes 17/7a Dietrick 13 Chartereau 10 Quevedo 8 Allemand 7 Gruda 4 Jocyte 2
(7) Villeneuve-d’Ascq [80]: Burke 28 Smalls 21/7r/9a Ben Abdelkader 8
https://www.fiba.basketball/eurocupwomen/22-23/game/1603/Umana-Reyer-Venezia-Galatasaray-Cagdas-Factoring#|tab=boxscore
(13) Galatasaray [74]: McCowan 21/16r Nacickaite 14 Prince 10 Stevens 9 Jurjane 2
(1) Reyer Venezia [49]: Shepard 20/7r Villa 11 Santucci 9 Kuier 6 Pan 2 Cubaj 0
Australian League Semifinals Game 3 March 15
The neighbors squared off one final time on Wednesday for the other spot in the finals. Melbourne’s combination of Tiffany Mitchell and Cayla George could not get them one more big win and Southside advanced 73-72.
https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/wnbl/2248862/bs.html
Southside Flyers [73]: Blicavs 14/7r Rocci 14/6a Thornton 12 Ernst 10 Bishop 8/12r
Melbourne Boomers [72]: T. Mitchell 23 George 22/13r Wallace 8 Nelson-Ododa 6 L. Mitchell 3 Ortlepp 3 Davidson 2
Southside Flyers win series 2-1
French Cup Semifinal March 15
The last spot in the cup final was determined on Wednesday. Even though they still have work to do to stay safe in the second division, 5,200 fans packed into the arena to see if Strasbourg could pull off a big upset. Victoria Harris helped them keep it close until the final quarter when Landes finally pulled away to win 73-58.
https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/FFBB/2243019/bs_en_AU.html
Strasbourg [58]: Harris 24
Landes [73]: Gil 17/8r Magarity 16/10r Chery 10/6r Paget 10 Fauthoux 8 Dumerc 5/8a Mann 2
Israeli League Upper Group Round 3 March 16
The upper group continued to speed through their second phase on Thursday. Maccabi Ashdod’s slide continued even with Liz Cambage and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough having good games as Eden Zipel and Jordan Hooper led Hapoel Rishon Lezion in scoring and Kaila Charles had a triple-double in Hapoel Rishon Lezion’s 89-84 win. Elitzur Ramla got closer with an 85-64 win over Jaime Nared and Maccabi Ramat Gan. The day ended with Jazmine Jones and Alisia Jenkins helping Ramat Hasharon take back the last playoff spot from Amy Okonkwo and Maccabi Haifa with a 75-64 win.
https://wbl.co.il/game-zone.asp?GameId=6379
Hapoel Rishon Lezion [89]: Zipel 25/7r Hooper 21/10r Charles 15/12r/10a Simon 14/7r
Maccabi Ashdod [84]: Cambage 27/16r Walker-Kimbrough 22/6a Hiedeman 17/6a Cohen 11 Dayan 6 Edelman 1 Sahar 0
https://wbl.co.il/game-zone.asp?GameId=6378
Elitzur Ramla [85]: Babkina 18/6a Baron 16/11r/6a Danan 14 Austin 13/8r Clark 11/11r Fleischer 7
Maccabi Ramat Gan [64]: Nared 26/9r Alleyne 12/16r Brown 5/6a Abboud 2
https://wbl.co.il/game-zone.asp?GameId=6380
Ramat Hasharon [75]: Jones 25/7r/8a Jenkins 20/8r Saar 18 Collier 3/6r Deluty 0
Maccabi Haifa [64]: Okonkwo 24 Bulgak 14/13r Hopkins 11/9r/13a
Standings:
1. Maccabi Ashdod 16-5
2. Elitzur Ramla 15-6
3. Ramat Hasharon 13-8
4. Maccabi Ramat Gan 13-8
5. Maccabi Haifa 13-8
6. Hapoel Rishon Lezion 12-9
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