NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen’s Women’s Basketball Worldwide) – As the dust now settles on the EuroCup Women Regular Season, I have been reflecting on which players have caught my eye.

Sharnee Zoll-Norman – Sleza Wroclaw

Very much top of my list is a playmaker that gets better with age. I have always followed the progress of her closely and I love her style which is meshed nicely with that priceless veteran experience. She has pulled the strings expertly to propel Sleza Wroclaw to the Round of 16 and is number one in the competition with a jaw-dropping 10.3 assists per game. A class player and leader.

Kyara Linskens – Basketball Nymburk

Even if Basketball Nymburk have now ended their journey in the tournament, you have to appreciate and respect the contribution of a player who is maturing and growing with every season. Having only recently turned 21-years-old, there is so much more to come from Linskens for club and country. She posted a phenomenal 12.5 points and 13 boards per game, but most impressively, she was joint 4th in efficiency so keep an eye on this emerging Belgian Cat!

Clarissa Dos Santos – Carolo Basket

I love the response of the Brazilian forward who was initially shot by a camera outside an airport with a Sopron scarf on the eve of the season. The club released her without bouncing a ball and she exchanged EuroLeague Women for EuroCup Women at Flammes Carolo Basket – not looking back since she rolled up in Charleville-Mezieres with her previous experience at Bourges. Dos Santos has helped her team to go unbeaten with some big performances and is averaging almost 11 points and 9 rebounds per game, shooting more than 50 percent from the floor. I also love her smile and energy when she is competing too.

Courtney Paris – Hatay

Perhaps the most powerful player in the competition down low, Paris is a colossus for her team and a powerhouse that few of her opponents can guard or box out. For me, she has probably been less dominant as usual, yet it feels like this is almost a choice taken, with Hatay not needing to turn any screws at 6-0. Yet the center has still managed to harvest a tournament high double-double of 15.3 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. Breathtaking digits!

Mariona Ortiz – Namur

I remember watching the Spanish guard when she was wearing her national team vest at youth level and she was tipped for huge things. The transition proved something of a roller-coaster in truth. Yet with her long wing-span and nice vision, she has managed to find a real home at Namur and I think is now playing some of the best basketball of her career. That is reflected in her play and stats which have seen her average a very nice 12.7 points and 6.8 assists per game. She has also shot well and taken good care of the ball for her side.

Dearica Hamby – Virtus Eirene

Having only caught fleeting glimpses of Hamby who was a standout with Wake Forest in the NCAA and has spent the last few years in the WNBA with San Antonio [without making the jump across the Pond to Europe] it is good to finally see more of her. She has been the main foundation behind the best ever European campaign for Ragusa. Such an impactful player, she has upstaged her frontcourt partner Astou Ndour with 21 points and 7.3 rebounds per outing.

Marcia Costa – GDESSA-Barreiro

Even if GDESSA-Barreiro were not able to progress beyond the Regular Season, I was so entertained by the displays of Costa who is perpetual motion whenever she is on the floor. The fact she is a ‘leftie’ makes her shooting even more appealing and she is a walking highlights reel. The Portuguese star has had some special games including one particularly memorable 30-point effort which contributed to an overall 17.7 points per game.

Anna Jurcenkova – Good Angels Kosice

The Slovak Republic veteran has never got the respect or limelight deserved throughout her career. Once again, she has done the business in the paint for her team and her efficiency and dirty work has driven them straight to the Round of 16. Shooting nearly 70 percent from the field en-route to 13.7 points per game, she does everything with the minimum of fuss and I love her simplistic but highly effective approach.

Kahleah Copper – Basket 90 Gdynia

Copper has been the central pivot for Basket 90 Gdynia on their journey to the Play-Offs Round 1, since when they needed her to shine in their last couple of games, she was huge. Her 27-point haul in the decisive game against Agu Spor made all the difference and throughout the campaign she has not only scored 20.4 points per game inside, but also showed her range by dropping some triples which has served to stretch the opposing defense.

Kelley Cain – Energa Torun

It proved rather agonizing for Energa Torun as they missed out on the Play-Offs Round 1 and have now finished their participation in the competition. Yet it certainly was not for a lack of productivity from Cain, who shot the lights out. She was sensational from the floor with a mind-boggling 76-100 across the six games – also completing a stellar double-double with 10.5 boards per game.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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