Final Four Profile: Sopron Basket
SOPRON (EuroLeague Women) - It's time to check out the third of our Final Four profiles as we turn the spotlight on host club, Sopron Basket.
History: One of the great EuroLeague Women clubs who have played in this competition consistently for so many years, Sopron Basket are relishing being back in the Final Four for the first time since 2009. They have had their struggles in recent seasons but have put faith in youth and have now found the right blend. From finishing with a 1-13 record just two seasons ago, they now stand proudly among the competition's elite and looking to cause a major upset.
Regular Season Record: Sopron Basket posted their best Regular Season in memory as they finished second in Group A with an impressive 10-4 record. Two of their losses came against reigning champions Dynamo Kursk.
Quarter-Final Results: It was an epic comeback from Sopron in the Quarter-Finals as they not only lost their opener on their home floor 55-60 to Fenerbahce, they endured a terrible start in Istanbul in the second game. They looked destined to exit 0-2 in the series but showed terrific heart to fight back and win 78-72. With confidence oozing, they celebrated a memorable night back in Sopron with a magical 67-46 success against the Turkish giants.
Key Player: Serbian forward Jelena Milovanovic has it all as far as Sopron are concerned. She is a big fans' favorite, having played at the club earlier in her career. The Olympian broke her hand during this campaign, and has only recently returned to action, but her influence has been instant. She brings leadership and can score from all over the floor, so expect her to feature high up on opposing scouting reports.
Why they can win it: Sopron are massive underdogs, but ones that have kept rolling and caused surprises all season long. They can believe because other underdogs have won in recent years, such as Galatasaray in 2014 and ZVVZ USK Prague in 2015. They have the passionate home support and one of the leading EuroLeague Women navigators at their helm in head coach, Roberto Iniguez. Throw in their dynamic do-it-all guard Yvonne Turner, the brilliant young Aleksandra Crvendakic, veteran Zsofia Fegyverneky, the underrated Serbian frontcourt duo of Danielle Page and Tina Jovanovic – as well as Jelena Milovanovic and there can be cause for real optimism.
Trivia: Jelena Milovanovic was part of the young Sopron team who made their previous Final Four appearance almost a decade ago.
Fast Facts:
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Sopron Basket have won 6 of their 9 home games in EuroLeague Women this season.
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Sopron have won 4 of their 5 matches against Turkish teams in EuroLeague Women this season.
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They have lost both home games in which they have conceded more than 60 points.
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Yvonne Turner has made 16.7 points and 2.8 steals in her last 9 EuroLeague Women games. During that span, she has made 51 percent of her field goal attempts, 48 percent from behind the arc and 83 percent from the free-throw line.
FIBA
