NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - If I had some euros to spend this summer then top of my list would be a 2016-17 season ticket for Pabellon Wurzburg so I could watch Perfumerias Avenida play.

The Spanish champions are making some seriously early noise for the next EuroLeague Women season by assembling what looks to be a hugely exciting and dynamic team which is making me sit up and take notice - as well as itching to finally get to Salamanca to watch this new-look side play in the flesh.

It's been a roller-coaster for the passionate 'Blue Tide' fans in recent years with some high profile failures in the Liga Femenina Finals and vastly contrasting EuroLeague Women campaigns.

But they are now back on top of their domestic podium and seem intent on trying to make a run in EuroLeague Women next season after penning deals with an array of players that I really do love to watch. They are a team after my own heart with this roster they are assembling.

Firstly, Angela Salvadores leaving Duke to come and play in EuroLeague Women is Christmas coming early as far as I am concerned. The best thing that can happen to her is an opportunity to transfer her skills into a professional and high level environment against the best players in the world.

There have been some concerns she is just a high volume shooter and perhaps not capable of delivering against her early promise. I reject that notion completely. I see a steel in her game and a resilience which can help her take a next step. Her physical stature is not overbearing so she will have to really up that side of her game - but on talent alone, her court smarts and incredible determination, she will make the journey to become a top level player.

Well, that is if she listens and works hard - as well as realising that after dominating in the youth categories, she may need to take a bit more of a back seat for a while and appreciate she is still learning her craft.

Alongside her will be a second Spanish rising star in Laura Quevedo. I had not been entirely convinced by her in the younger youth categories, but in the past year or two, the forward has really blossomed. I loved her efforts during last year's U20 European Women's Championship success and she was brilliant at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Championship in Chekhov.

Laura Quevedo in action at the U20 European Women's Championship

I also think timing is important and having broken into the senior Spain side recently, she needs to show what she can do at a higher profile club and in a bigger competition like EuroLeague Women. It will be interesting to see if Quevedo can handle the added pressure and expectation - considering she has thrived under the lack of pressure at Star-Center Uni Ferrol.

As if those two acquisitions weren’t exciting enough, Avenida have also made a big statement by signing EuroBasket Women 2015 champion and the Rio-bound Jelena Milovanovic. That is more fire-power right there and she could form a very entertaining partnership in the paint with Hungary national team standout, Tijana Krivacevic.

Both will love moving to Salamanca since it will evoke memories of their teenage years when they were part of a surprise MKB Euroleasing team who played in the city when they made it to Final Four in 2009.

Now they could be part of another vibrant team, only this time they will be the more experienced players and looking to lead by example. Milovanovic brings WNBA experience as well as a high level EuroLeague Women resume - as is the case with Krivacevic, who I still think is one of the best untapped European players to have not yet played in the WNBA.

The club have also added Adaora Elonu who was superb in Liga Femenina last season and shone brightly in the Copa De La Reina. She will make her EuroLeague Women debut and it will be fascinating to see how the power forward performs.

The sting in the tail is that at the moment, these are all just names on a piece of paper and the test will come when the season starts. Because for all the excitement, there are many questions too.

Can so many incoming players gel quickly and find chemistry and do they have enough defensively strong and experienced players? I am looking forward to seeing who else arrives and the focus on European players is great - but I wonder how any potential American additions will compliment the new crop. They will have to be experienced and hard-nosed defensively in my opinion. It's all about the dirty work too in EuroLeague Women and this team will need to be mentally strong to succeed.

There will also be ramped up expectation and that challenge will have to be met by the coaching staff - easier said than done of course. But in summary, it promises to be a highly entertaining and interesting season in Salamanca and it's still only early May!

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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