French Cup - USVO win for the fifth time

(USVO Celebrating - Picture Courtesy of Bellenger /IS/FFBB)

It was never going to be easy for Bourges and with the news that Vicki Hall was injured and out of the final that they managed to keep the game lively for the first 24 minutes was credit to some very interesting tactics by Pierre Vincent. For Laurent Buffard it was joy and relief after missing out all the titles last season. Kristi Harrower was the match MVP, finishing the match with 11-points, 10 rebounds and five assists as USVO ran out winners (72-51).

Kristi had this to say after the match ‘“ A title is always nice but for me I give what I can on the court and that is my leadership.” USVO regain the cup that they last won in 2004.

(Kristi Harrower MVP)


Pleasantries do not last long between these two teams and it took all of 75 seconds before Endéne Miyem put the first points on the boards. In fact the first 3 minutes belonged to Bourges as they took an early lead (2:6). USVO then lost Emmanuelle Hermouet as she took a bad knock to her knee. Emile Gomis then took her frustration out their opponents with a couple of 3-point plays to start a USVO 11-0 run. Sandrine Gruda and Harrower decided to get on the act right at the end of the first period with a couple baskets (18-8) to extend their advantage.

The break did Bourges some good and they started their comeback early in the second period with Evanthia Maltsi and Sonja Kireta leading the way. At the very moment that that they would have completed the come back up stepped Harrower with a 24 second bomb from down town (24-18) to stop the revival. Pierre Vincent then changed things tactically with Carine Paul asked to play point instead of Florence Lepron. Whether it was youth exuberance of pure excitement, she quickly found marked her authority in the game with a couple of quick baskets and was the architect behind her teams surge (32-26) just before the interval. She continued during the opening of the 3rd period after a 6-0 run brought her team to within two points of USVO (32-30) with 24 minutes gone.

Enough was enough Sandrine Gruda followed by Harrower stepped on the accelerator as they hit 8 consecutive points (40-30), Bourges suddenly tired and were unable to keep up physically and by the end of the 3rd period trailed by 13-points (51-38). The rest of the match became a formality as USVO went on to win comfortable by 21-points.

It is hard to believe but this is the first piece of Silverware that Sandrine Gruda has won at club level and she could not hide her excitement. She went on to comment “ It was obvious that we would not let up, we wanted this title and we went out to get it”.
Pierre Vincent sober in defeat only wanted to look at the positive side by stating “our young player worked hard and have gained valuable experience playing at this level, especially against USVO, not an opportunity that comes very often. They should learn and improve from this and come out stronger next time”. A view shared by Carine Paul who had very little to say “It was difficult, I do not play point guard often. It was really hard but we did what we could”.


For Laurent Buffard another title after last year’s disappointment was very happy but is still thinking about the playoffs “ We played seriously for 40 minutes and did not let up. We knew the Vicki Hall was injured but Bourges defends well but we wanted this match and the title before the final playoffs. Now we have to continue, we have another match on Wednesday and it is important that we reproduce a similar performance, we have to remain serious especially offensively”

Match Result and Statistics

Valenciennes 72-51 Bourges

Valenciennes: Gruda (14), Bade (11), Harrower (11), Grgin Fonseca (8), Godin (6), Tuvic (4), Michel (2), Digbeu (1), Hermouet (-)

Bourges : Maltsi (13), Kireta (10), Lepron (8), Paul (7), Melain (6), Miyem (6), Ndongue (2), Salvi (DNP), Hall (DNP), Dumerc (DNP)