Paris (AFP)

Two years after the acquisition by Tony Parker, Lyon Asvel Women has earned his first title of champion in France by defeating Montpellier Thursday night in his room Mado-Bonnet, a first coronation that opens the way to the Euroleague.

At the end of a first Women's League final played in a fifth decisive match, Asvel proved to be the strongest and the advantage of the field proved to be essential for Valéry Demory's players, who won Thursday night 75 to 61.

The coach of Asvel won his third title of champion of France, after his two coronations (2014 and 2016) under the colors of ... Montpellier.

The Lionesses, led by the young Belgian Julie Allemand (22) and the indestructible French Paoline Salagnac (35), took the best start on the Gazelles Héraultaises, digging a gap of 17 points in the middle of the second quarter ( 41-24, 17e).

They confirmed this lead in the third and fourth quarter, to commune in the last minutes with the public of Mado-Bonnet, and the first of the supporters, Tony Parker.

"We really gave it all today, we felt the hall, the French Championship is really a big league, I'm sure it's the best European championship," Julie German said. , at the microphone of RMC Sport.

Constant on the five meetings, the young French Marième Badiane has once again made a nice copy Thursday, with 13 points and 8 rebounds.

The absence for the first matches of the final of Héléna Ciak, injured and "not 100%" for this decisive match according to coach Thibaut Petit, will have played against the Héraultaises, both the impact of the pivot, MVP de the regular season in the Montpellier game is important.

The BLMA, finalist of the Eurocup beaten by the Orenburg Russians, will have to go through a qualifying round to see the group stage of the Euroleague.

- Like the PUC in 1963? -

Like the boys of Asvel Villeurbanne, who have obtained their ticket for the Queen Invitational continental basketball competition, the Lyonnaises will play Euroleague next year, without going through a play-off.

"It shows that Tony Parker's ambition is the same for girls as for boys, there are no sporting limits, it was symbolically important to have access to the Euroleague," AFP told AFP. Marie-Sophie Obama, delegate president, before match 3 of the final.

This double presence places Asvel in the footsteps of Fenerbahçe, the only club to play the leading roles for both girls and boys in Euroleague.

For Asvel, there are two different structures, but they have the same president, Tony Parker, who owns LDLC-Asvel Lyon Villeurbanne and majority shareholder of Lyon Asvel Women.

And this is just the beginning for Asvel. Next season, the reinforcements of the two French internationals, Héléna Ciak and Marine Johannès - who will join the Rhone in autumn coming from Bourges after Euro-2019 with the Blue and a first freelance in WNBA with the New York Liberty- will allow the Lyonnaises to join the fight for the Final Four of the Euroleague.

"It's good to be directly qualified, we have a lot of players who will not be there in September, with Héléna and Marine, we really have a chance to do something in Euroleague," Tony Parker said on Thursday evening. microphone of RMC Sport.

The road ahead is all drawn for the boys, winners two weeks ago of the Coupe de France and who start play-offs Saturday at the Astroballe, against Le Mans, champion of France in title.

The last club to have been champion of France men and women the same year is the PUC in 1963.

? 2019 AFP