Preview: Thursday’s EuroCup Women Qualifiers
MUNICH (EuroCup Women 2017) - We take a look at the five EuroCup Women 2017 Qualifiers on Thursday night as ten clubs attempt to edge closer to the Regular Season by recording a strong first-leg display.
YDUBGD v Istanbul Universitesi (17:00 CET)
It could end up being one of the ties of the competition - or at least on paper. These two domestic rivals clash with YDUBGD in particular having made some serious summer noise with marquee signings. They have drafted in a host of stars including Angelica Robinson who both played in the 2016 EuroLeague Women Final with Nadezhda, a former EuroLeague Women winner in Quanitra Hollingsworth who switches from Fenerbahce along with Turkey playmaker, Olcay Cakir Turgut. From the other side of the Bosphorus, Bahar Caglar ends her long association with Galatasaray.
There is also a spot for Serbian shooting ace Nevena Jovanovic, highly rated Merve Aydin and Swedish national team star Elin Eldebrink. Hungarian veteran and legend Anna Vajda also shows few signs of slowing down and should be a strong contributor.
However, that will mean nothing if YDUBGD are upset by an Istanbul Universitesi side likely to be driven by their own Olympic bronze medallist in Sasa Cado, who returns to provide some good firepower alongside Tan White who will contribute in all facets of the game. The addition of Latvian Aija Putnina gives them a much more experienced and solid feel under the basket, with Jordan Hooper of the Dallas Wings also likely to cause some problems. Throw in the veteran know-how of long-standing Turkey national team player Saziye Ivegin Uner and it really looks like a mouth-watering match-up.
VBW CEKK Cegled v Enisey Krasnoyarsk (19:00 CET)
First time entrants VBW CEKK Cegled are bidding to cause a stir and on their pre-season and Hungarian League form, they might be dangerous. They might lack headline names but seem to have found great chemistry and the right ingredients to potentially punch a ticket. Serbian duo Maja Skoric and Jelena Maksimovic are both very much on-song at the moment and the sweet music they are making on the floor is being supported by Nora Nagy-Bujdoso, who has plenty of EuroLeague Women experience under her belt.
Enisey Krasnoyarsk are trying to leap into their third successive Regular Season and will be fueled mainly by Canadian national team guard and recent Rio Olympian, Miah-Marie Langlois who can be a big player from long-range. Croatian winger Ruzica Dzankic will also be a factor and their main source of offensive joy may well come from former Michigan State forward Annalise Pickrel, who has showcased her talent in Australia since graduating in 2014.
Eisvogel USC v Carolo Basket (19:30 CET)
It's another newcomer in German side Eisvogel USC and while it may be a struggle against a top flight French side, they will look forward to their debut. Freiburg were sunk by almost 40 points against Wasserburg on Monday and will look for a turnaround to be sparked by American Kristen McCarthy, although Satou Sabally has shot the ball very well - if not quite enough at times. Jovana Vukoje and Shakeya Leary will also both have to step up if they still want to still be in the tie heading to the second leg.
Flammes Carolo Basket are all about Amel Bouderra, their long-standing star who is the heart and soul of the team. She should be even more full of confidence after her unexpected Olympic adventure in Rio and was the LFB Player of the year in 2015-16. The French side have further continuity from former UConn star Kallena Mosqueda-Lewis, Belgian guard Kim Mestdagh, Ukraine national team forward Valeriya Berezhynska and Alicia DeVaughn. They have also strengthened with French pair Lidija Turcinovic and Margaux Galliou, who has done well in EuroCup Women previously with Nantes Reze.
Rutronik Stars Keltern v KP Brno (19:30 CET)
Continuing Thursday’s theme of rookies, Rutronik Stars Keltern will take their first steps and seek leadership from Germany national team player Stephanie Wagner who knows the competition well from her time at TSV 1880 Wasserburg. The same can be said for Belgian guard Emmanuelle Mayombo who has played for the likes of Namur, Young Cats and Wallonia Basket. Serbian duo Maja Vucorovic and Marina Markovic will also be key, while American pair Quenice Davis and Jasmine Thomas will need to step it up.
KP Brno have made a 0-2 start to the season in the ZBL and so will be keen to get a win under their belts. They have EuroLeague Women know-how from Tereza Peckova, an ‘X-Factor’ in the unpredictable but talented Lithuanian wing Marina Solopova and some often underrated and overlooked Czech players such as the rock solid Andrea Sladkova. They will also be looking for American center Anjaleace White to be an anchor the paint.
Amsterdam Angels v Nantes Reze (20:30 CET)
Nantes lost a big player in the now departed Queralt Casas during the summer, but can count on Canadian Olympic duo Shona Thorburna and Katherine Plouffe. There is a belief that Quianna Chaney could be a difference-maker and continuity is assured via the return of Isis Arrondo and Yuliya Andreyeva.
The Angels take their first step in the competition and are very much along the lines of last year’s Orange Blizzards in terms of harnessing an array of Dutch talent. The personnel are largely similar too, with Tanya Broring, Zera Butter and sister act Jill and Loyce Bettonvil likely to be the leaders. Indeed the family connection does not end there, with Fleur, Karin and Sonia Kuijt all included.
FIBA
