NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - There have been some epic contests in EuroCup Women this season and it is brewing into a fascinating tournament off the back of the Round of 8 match-ups.

Headlining the list for me are the two rookie teams who have excelled during their first seasons competing in the tournament. I confess that I had not expected Basketball Nymburk to do so well and I tip my hat in admiration for them making it this far.

Having a veteran hand like former FIBA Women's World Championship finalist Veronika Bortelova is undoubtedly key, even if she has only played in a few of the games. Almost seven assist per game when she has suited up speaks volumes. There has also been a sizeable contribution from the towering Aleksandra Khomenchuk, whose form is great news for the Ukraine national team.

Nymburk will now play the only unbeaten team left in the tournament in the shape of Aluinvent Miskolc in the Round of 8. On that note, congratulations to Miskolc head coach Miguel Lopez as remaining flawless in a competition which takes such a lot of mental and physical exertion is no mean feat.

The other newbie to have punched a ticket is UFAB 49 and I have to say that Angers had to go through hell to seal the deal. Having already met fellow first-timers Sportiva Azores Airlines in the first phase, playing them again was always going to be fascinating.

It turned into a pretty special match-up in the Round of 16. Angers won the first leg by 14 points, but when they stepped out against the Islanders on the road, they endured an absolute nightmare start - missing a jaw-dropping 11 of their first 12 shots which left them down 20-4 and their advantage having evaporated in double-quick time.

In a roller-coaster of astonishing peaks and troughs, it had looked like Azores would be successful. But after the game went to overtime with the hosts 14 ahead, Angers came back and grabbed a single digit defeat to win the tie, which must have drained an incredible amount from them.

Yet another rookie in Edirnespor were on the wrong end of another overtime classic - eventually being pipped by Basket Landes. Intriguingly, the Turkish side had only made it to the Round of 16 after a gripping double-overtime win against Chevakata. This time they were the ones swallowing an intensely bitter pill.

It was the Rio-bound Miranda Ayim of Canada who burst their bubble with a fabulous 22 points for Landes, while Carole Guzman came close to a rare triple double to seal her team a match-up with domestic rivals UFAB 49. Certainly Ayim is a big player for her club and also her country - having made some great contributions for both - including one of the most memorable plays of the last FIBA Women's World Championship.

Scanning down the Round of 8 pairings, Nantes Reze against Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje looks to be the standout tie and will be the one I will watch with most interest.

You also have to remember that the Quarter-Finals will be outstanding too - since four teams will tumble into the competition from EuroLeague Women.

It could mean an interesting French connection if one of those is Tango Bourges Basket, or reigning EuroCup Women champions Villeneuve d’Asdcq as there will be at least one French side who makes it through from the Landes v Angers tie.

And, this change in format will also give us one form of measurement as to just how these two premier club competitions in Europe measure up against each other and how wide the gulf actually is.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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