EuroCup Women can move out of the shadows

NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - The spotlight will understandably be placed on EuroLeague Women this week, but that is not to say that EuroCup Women should be left overshadowed by its more illustrious sister competition.

As with most years, EuroCup Women will have some exceptionally talented players stepping out and there are some teams that would actually grace Euroleague Women, not least, defending champions WBC Dynamo Moscow.

They now belatedly have USA guard Lindsay Whalen in situ and former WNBA MVP Tina Charles to follow. Whalen exploded on debut last weekend in the Moscow derby against Spartak M.R. Vidnoje, dropping 30 points in a dramatic one point win.

I am assuming that it will be Whalen and Charles who are utilised, since the third non-European Kristi Toliver could be an alternative option, having been a driving force behind their podium topping success last year.

There are also several Russian players who have senior national team experience at Dynamo, including Nadezhda Grishaeva, Irina Sokolovskaya and Tatiana Vidmer.

Serbian swingman Ana Dabovic has been brought in, having played in the Russian League a few years ago at Dynamo-GUVD Novosibirsk, although she has had a sluggish start.

Talking of Serbians and slow starts, Jelena Milovanovic was one of the big names to be snapped up by the ambitious Dynamo Kursk - champions of the competition a couple of seasons ago. The forward arrived along with plenty of other big names players including Candice Dupree, Oleksandra Kurasova, Rebekkah Brunson and Shay Doron, who join established stars like Epiphanny Prince.

Kursk will be eager to get some potential light relief from EuroCup Women this week, having made an awful start to their Russian Premier League campaign, with their latest setback a 20-point home-floor capitulation against Nadezhda Orenburg.

The result heaps pressure on beleaguered play-caller Alfredas Vainauskas who presided over the shambolic EuroBasket Women title defense of the Russian national team a few months ago - something which the coach has apparently refused to discuss with the Federation.

And, the inevitable happened as the Lithuanian was fired by Kursk and replaced this week by Bo Overton.

Aside from Russian title-chasers, there are some potential challengers for the title from Turkey and France. Indeed it would certainly be a surprise to me if the winner came from outside of those three nations.

Perhaps the dark horse could be Villeneuve d’Ascq. They sit proudly unbeaten at the top of the French League with a 6-0 record, locked together with EuroLeague Women participants Tango Bourges.

They have the defensive prowess and organisational skills of the ever-impressive Swedish guard Elin Eldebrink and also the brilliant former FIBA Europe Young Women's Player of the Year Emma Meesseman, who has just returned from her premature WNBA season debut. French shooting guard Johanne Gomis can put points on the board and if veteran American Lenae Williams is on-song, the sky is the limit.

Also in with a big chance of going far are Istanbul Universitesi. The newcomers are already showing their hand as title challengers domestically in the TKBL with a strong opening. On talent alone, they look as good as anyone, maybe even co-favourites with Dynamo Moscow and Dynamo Kursk.

They also possess a EuroLeague Women level quality roster, including USA forward Crystal Langhorne who won the title last year and was immense. She will line-up alongside Russian veteran Irina Osipova.

There is instant offence from Romanian national team star Gabriella Marginean and also Shenise Johnson, who had a big first season in Europe playing in EuroLeague Women last year with UE Sopron. They don't lack experience either, with Israeli guard Liron Cohen and Turkish vets Nilay Karteltepe and Tugba Palazoglu all gracing the backcourt.

Lastly, one of the main and fun reasons to watch and follow EuroCup Women again this season is to check out the usual selection of teenagers taking to the floor and cutting their teeth in the competition.

Many will be following on from some huge names who have played in the tournament and I am especially looking forward to seeing if rising stars can make their name - players like 1996-born Belgian ace Julie Allemand, who might play for new entrants Wallonia Basket.

I am looking forward to it every bit as much as EuroLeague Women!

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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