EuroCup Women - Round of 16 Second Leg Review

MUNICH (EuroCup Women) - Newcomers Basketball Nymburk and UFAB 49 are both celebrating reaching the EuroCup Women Round of 8 in what is their very first season competing in the tournament.

It was UFAB 49 who punched their ticket in the most dramatic fashion as they watched their healthy 14-point first-leg advantage melt away in a disastrous opening quarter at Sportiva Azores Airlines when they missed 11 of their first 12 shots and trailed 20-4.

With the home team looking imperious, the Islanders could have sneaked through but Shaqwedia Wallace fouling out of the contest hindered them as Angers slipped to a 67-58 loss but still scraped home in an epic clash. Posting an improved display in overtime was vital - as was Sofija Aleksandravicius contributing 15 points and 10 rebounds for the relieved visitors.

Meanwhile Basketball Nymburk also had a tense passage after they had carried a slender four-point advantage from the first leg against Orduspor to Turkey.

In another intense match-up, Tijana Krivacevic did her best with a stellar 32 points for the hosts but couldn't prevent the Czech first-timers from taking a memorable 87-81 triumph as Theairra Taylor dropped 28 points for the jubilant visitors.

One other newcomer in the shape of Edirnespor almost made it, but eventually endured overtime heartache as they went down 89-80 at Basket Landes.

The home side moved 79-72 ahead by the end of regulation to erase the first-leg deficitand force the extra period where they successfully finished the job. That was mainly due to 22 points from Miranda Ayim and a magnificent near triple-double of 16 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists from Carole Guzman.

In the big derby match-up, Istanbul Universitesi had 21 points from Latanya White as they beat city rivals Besiktas80-70, but they were unable to overturn a 14-point deficit from the first game which meant the top seeds from the regular season have went through the exit door.

The only team still unbeaten in the competition are Aluinvent Miskolc, as they powered their way into the next phase of the competition by cruising to a 90-72 success against BBK Lulea. Timea Czank came within one assist of a fine double-double after sinking 15 points.

A 20-point haul from Maria Vadeeva helped Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje safely into the Round of 8 as they squeezed past Dike Napoli 62-60, having already done some serious damage on Italian soil in the first contest.

Another Russian club in Enisey Krasnoyarsk collected a 68-64 win against Nantes Reze behind a brilliant 9-of-11 shooting display by Ekaterina Kiryanova. However it will be the French side who progress, having completed a huge first-leg triumph at home.

Lastly, Reyer Venezia will fly the Italian flag into the Round of 8 after they continued their successful EuroCup Women return by beating TTT Riga 69-61. As usual, it was Karima Christmas who excelled as she registered 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Go to www.fibaeurope.com/eurocupwomen for full coverage of EuroCup Women.

FIBA