Liga Sudamericana Femenina

The first edition of the re-formatted Liga Sudamericana Femenina is in the books after Corinthians-Americana were crowned the 2015 champions in Puente Alto, Chile.
 
It was Olympian and Brazil national team standout Damiris Dantas who propelled her team to the coveted silverware, pouring in 30 points in a 70-60 win against UTE of Ecuador.
 
The newly constructed tournament has certainly created a real buzz as it provided a fresh and exciting platform for the cream of top women's talent in South America take showcase their skills.
 
Facilitated during May to September, its rejuvenation incorporated an expanded field from previous years.

There were 13 teams from eight different nations – with the longer term aim to increase the diversity of the clubs involved even further - to ten countries.
 
When Corinthians-Americana from the Sao Paulo region scooped the maiden title of the revised competition, it also continued the tradition of Brazilian clubs enjoying complete dominance down the years at club level.
 
Indeed no club outside of Brazil has ever come out on top in any of the previous editions of the competition in its previous guises.
 
The original tournament took place in 1981 in Lima, Peru when Higienopolis/Catanduva were the first podium-toppers – followed by Prudentina, who won successive titles off the back of the genius of FIBA Hall of Fame entrant and women’s basketball legend, Hortencia Marcari.
 
Unimep/Piracicaba then racked up a treble and were only denied five straight titles when Perdigao Divino beat them in the 1990 Final.
 
The long list of successful Brazilian clubs continued up until 1999, when the annual competition stopped.
 
It was briefly resurrected during 2002, for what tuned out to be a one-off in Puerto Montt, Chile. And, it was Vasco da Gama who picked up the baton for Brazilian clubs and they held onto it until 2009, when the tournament came back into existence.
 
All three further editions which took place in 2009, 2012 and 2014 were played out in Quito, Ecuador – with Ourinhos, Americana and Sport Recife lifting titles.
 
The latter was founded on one of the most thrilling conclusions witnessed, as Tatiane Pacheco hit a buzzer beater to give her team a dramatic and memorable 83-82 win over La Estancia De Columbia.
 
It was the shot that preserved the 100% record of Brazilian clubs – one which came within a tantalising second of being broken.

For more information and results of the 2015 edition click here.