SALAMANCA (Spain) - Perfumerias Avenida are celebrating a return to the EuroLeague Women Final Four after the 2021 Finalists conquered fierce rivals Spar Girona in their winner-takes-all series decider.

With the Quarter-Finals series tantalizingly balanced at 1-1, Avenida made home advantage pay as they took the pivotal third game 74-65 to spark a major fiesta inside Pabellon Wurzburg as home fans revelled in their team's success.

Avenida initially started well, locking down Girona with a first quarter display that restricted their opponents to just nine points. But the visitors soon found some rhythm and the game morphed into the same kind of intense struggle that encapsulated Game 2 and had required overtime to determine a winner.

This time around, Avenida were able to make a key 14-4 run either side of the third and fourth quarter break, giving them the impetus to push on and take a precious and memorable success without the need for an extra five minutes.

The victory was built around the dynamic Kahleah Copper who ended up harvesting a double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Karlie Samuelson chose a great time to deliver her most influential contribution of the campaign. The Great Britain international netted 15 points after connecting on 5-of-6 attempts from downtown, with Avenida also capitalizing on their superior work on the glass.

It was a night to forget for Girona as their biggest-hitters struggled to impose themselves outside of a team-high 15 points from Swedish veteran Frida Eldebrink.. That resulted in the club missing out on the chance to make history with a first-ever Final Four appearance.

FIBA