Julie Allemand, 11 pts, 9 assists against Minnesota, closes a brilliant first season

(Belga) Julie Allemand came close to the double-double for her last regular season encounter with Indiana Fever in the North American Professional Basketball Championship (WNBA) on the night of Saturday to Sunday. The Liege leader, 24, scored 11 points (1/2 to 2pts, 3/5 to 3pts) and delivered 9 assists, also taking 5 rebounds in 24 minutes of play.

Indiana Fever lost 98-86 against Minnesota Lynx, 4th in the standings, and closed with a record of 5 wins and 17 losses to finish 11th. Only the top 8 are entitled to the playoffs. Julie Allemand closed her first experience in the North American professional championship with an average of 8.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Never has a Rookie – a player playing the WNBA for the first time – done better than 7.0 pts, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists per game since the League was created in 1996 (the year Julie German was born). The Liégeoise, trained in Alleur, is 2nd in the particular ranking of assists behind the inaccessible American-Hungarian from Chicago, Courtney Vandersloot (10.0). Julie Allemand is also 2nd in 3-point shoot percentage (44/92, 47.8%, behind her ex-teammate in Lyon, Alysha Clark, 31/61, 50.8%). She is also the first Rookie to appear in the starting five during 22 games, playing 32.5 minutes per game (6th in this particular ranking). A completely successful season for Julie Allemand, cited among one of the candidates for the title of Rookie of the year. The results will fall on Monday. Washington Mystics and Emma Meesseman have their fate in their hands to clinch the 8th and last place still available for the playoffs. The 27-year-old Flandrian interior, champion last summer with Washington, plays the last match of the classic phase on Sunday evening (9 p.m. Belgian time) against Atlanta. A victory would narrowly qualify the title holders for the top 8. The playoffs begin on Tuesday. All the matches were fought in Bradenton, Florida in the IMG Academy bubble, health crisis obliges. (Belga)

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