Alicia Tournebize became the first female basketball player in France to successfully execute a dunk during an official match, achieving the milestone on September 21, 2024, at the salle de la Mourette in Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme, according to reports published by ouest-france.fr.
History Made at Salle de la Mourette
Playing in the Nationale 2 division for the youth development squad of Bourges, known as the Espoirs de Bourges, the 17-year-old center stood at 1.97 meters (6 feet, 5 inches) when she drove alone on a fast break and dunked the ball cleanly with one or two hands. While the game lacked television cameras and featured a modest crowd in the regional arena, a spectator’s mobile phone captured the sequence on video.
The feat marked a distinct first for French women’s basketball, where in-match dunks during official competition had previously been undocumented. Benoit Peyrot, the head of the Tango training center who worked with Tournebize across three seasons, noted that the achievement stunned staff despite her known physical capabilities.
“We knew she was capable of doing it, that she had gold in her hands, but at the time, it completely flabbergasted us,” Peyrot said, according to ouest-france.fr. “Alicia is a determined girl who has known what she wants for a long time, with her own character and her own vision of things. We were all super happy for her.”
Development Within the Bourges Program
Tournebize spent three years refining her skills within the Bourges youth system, progressing through the club’s developmental ranks before etching her name into the sport’s domestic history books. Her integration into the Nationale 2 roster highlights Alicia Tournebize, a young post player in France.
17-year-old French standout Alicia Tournebize (192cm) dunks effortlessly 🔥Women’s basketball is reaching new heights ⛹️♀️🚀(via @BourgesBasket) pic.twitter.com/m2GH7NMDlJ
Related reading
