Avenida make Final Four after Girona thriller, Fenerbahce advance despite loss
SOPRON / SALAMANCA (Hungary / Spain) - The party is underway in Salamanca after Perfumerias Avenida reached their first Final Four in a decade after seeing off arch rivals Spar Girona in an absorbing Quarter-Finals Game 2 clash.
In what proved to be super advert for EuroLeague Women and the female game, Avenida were made to work for the ticket for next month's showpiece event.
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Taking an eight-point advantage into the contest from the first leg, they collected a 71-65 victory on the night, although the final scoreline didn't reflect the degree of intensity and excitement during the meeting, with Girona coming close multiple times to erasing the deficit.
The fans inside the Pabellon Wurzburg gleefully celebrated Avenida gaining sweet revenge against Girona for their recent elimination from the Copa De La Reina. Tiffany Hayes led the way for the hub hosts with 16 points and showed some great moves, while Maria Araujo excelled for Girona with 15 points and 6 boards.
Fenerbahce Oznur Kablo reached their first Final Four since 2017, but had to rely on the strength of their Game 1 victory over Galatasaray as they progressed on aggregate 152-145, having fallen by double-digits 71-61 in the second meeting with their Istanbul rivals.
They had no answer to Mercedes Russell who was unstoppable with 24 points and 14 rebounds for Galatasaray, with Fenerbahce thankful that Alina Iagupova helped limit the damage and ensure they progressed with an important 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Already holding a double-digit lead from Game 1, UMMC Ekaterinburg soared past Dynamo Kursk with ease as they claimed a one-sided 94-59 victory that wrapped up a comprehensive 47-point aggregate success.
Jonquel Jones was the pick of a strong team performance from the juggernauts, with the center harvesting 12 points and as many rebounds, while frontcourt partners Maria Vadeeva and Breanna Stewart scored 16 points each.
Meanwhile Sopron Basket made it back to the Final Four again having appeared at the event in both 2018 and 2019. They suffered a 75-62 reverse at the hands of LDLC ASVEL Feminin, but progressed 156-141 on aggregate.
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