MUNICH (Germany) - Casademont Zaragoza and DVTK HUNTHERM are both celebrating extending their EuroLeague Women campaign after securing the last two available slots for the Second Round of the competition. Zaragoza raced past CIMSA CBK Mersin in what was a winner-takes-all matchup, while DVTK lost at Valencia but still advanced due to Olympiacos SFP losing to Fenerbahce Opet. That kept Fenerbahce perfect and they progress, with the only other club still to taste defeat in the shape of city rivals Galatasaray Cagdas Faktoring. That came after Spar Girona fell for the first time this season.
Key Storylines
Team basketball and huge home support takes Zaragoza into the Second Round as Mersin exit;
DVTK crash in Valencia but still step into the next stage after Olympiacos beaten;
Galatasaray stay perfect as Marine Johannes makes long-awaited debut;
Bourges Basket show potential for Second Round as they hand Girona first loss.
Weekly Highs
Efficiency: Kayla Alexander (Valencia Basket Club) - 38 Points: Kayla Alexander (Valencia Basket Club) - 26 Rebounds: Jessica Shepard (Beretta Famila Schio) - 15 Assists: Emma Meesseman (Fenerbahce Opet), Julie Allemand (Fenerbahce Opet)- 8 Steals: Jessica Shepard (Beretta Famila Schio) - 4 Blocks: Megan Gustafson (Fenerbahce Opet) - 3
Zaragoza save their best until last
There's a fiesta underway in Zaragoza as an enormous crowd of more than 9,000 celebrated their team producing a five star show just when they needed it most to move past Mersin 88-58 and into the Second Round. A stunning 17-2 start to the second half laid the foundation - as did frontcourt duo Merritt Hempe and Nadia Fingall.
Hempe was a handful and added 19 points to her name, while Fingall produced a super smart effort and harvested 11 points from 5 of 7 shooting, as well as 7 rebounds and 4 assists. With that coming as part of an excellent all-around team show which also saw Mariona Ortiz dish up 9 dimes, it was a deserved success.
It also saw the elimination of last season's runners-up who finished an unthinkable 1-5 in the group.
DVTK are down, but not out after Alexander sinks them
Despite a hard fought first-half, DVTK faded after the break and found themselves on the wrong end of an 81-58 defeat to Valencia - although the defeat didn't prevent them from reaching the Second Round.
Valencia put their foot on the gas after the break and raced out of sight, fuelled by the continued form of season MVP contender Kayla Alexander. The Canadian put in another towering performance for her team after accumulating 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Olympiacos miss out as Fenerbahce breathe fire
The hopes of Olympiacos progressing always looked to be hanging on a thread with the Greek underdogs needing to pull of a major shock by beating the flawless Fenerbahce to potentially realize their dreams. It wasn't to be as they crashed 99-47 with the visitors rampant from the first jump-ball and extinguishing any hopes with a scorching 31-8 opening.
Emma Meesseman was the main architect of the success as she led Fenerbahce with 19 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds. Her fellow Belgian Julie Allemand also shone brightly, with 11 points, 8 boards and 8 assists, while Kayla McBride chipped in with 18 points.
Johannes takes first steps for flawless Galatasaray
French ace Marine Johannes finally got to suit up in the competition for Galatasaray as they signed off the First Round with a perfect 6-0 record after powering past Sopron Basket 104-54. As well as Johannes taking to the court and posting 8 points and 7 assists, new playcaller Firat Okul was in situ having succeeded Ekrem Memnun.
It was frontcourt duo Awak Kuier and Elif Bayram who stole the show in this contest, with the pair producing dazzling all-around performances. The former finished with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Bayram contributed an all-action haul of 13 points, 9 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals.
Girona winning streak stopped in its tracks in Bourges
French side Bourges gave themselves a huge confidence boost heading into the next stage after handing Girona their first defeat of the campaign. Arriving at Le Prado with a proud 5-0 record, the visitors were then undone by the hosts who completed a super 69-63 success.
Alix Duchet brought the noise from the backcourt, with the guard adding 19 points and 5 assists, while 12 rebounds from forward Kariata Diaby was also vital.
Charles takes Reyer past Landes
While both sides had already secured their respective tickets to the Second Round, there was a lot riding on this last group game with records being carried forward and it was Reyer who prevailed 57-56. Although the Italians and their fans had to hold their collective breath as Leila Lacan rimmed out on a possible buzzer-beater.
Surviving and moving to the same 4-2 record as their rivals, it was Kaila Charles who did the business for Reyer. She finished with an eye-catching 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals.
Results
Wednesday, November 26
Olympiacos SFP 47-99 Fenerbahce Opet Galatasaray Cagdas Faktoring 104-54 Sopron Basket ZVVZ USK Praha 102-67 VBW Gdynia Umana Reyer Venezia 57-56 Basket Landes Tango Bourges Basket 69-63 Spar Girona Beretta Famila Schio 74-57 Flammes Carolo Basket Valencia Basket Club 81-58 DVTK HUNTHERM Casademont Zaragoza 88-58 CIMSA CBK Mersin
FIBA