Five key factors for the first leg of the EuroCup Women 2019 Final

MUNICH (Germany) - The first leg of the EuroCup Women 2019 Final between Nadezhda and BLMA is approaching and here are five factors that could influence who gets the silverware.

Which Coach is going to get the game plan right?

Both Thibaut Petit and Victor Lapena can be rightly proud of their accomplishments and they are within touching distance of a famous historical chapter for their clubs – plus, a nice line on their respective career resume. This tie looks like it really might go down to the wire – or at least on paper. That means the playcallers' game plans, decisions, rotations and ability to adjust under pressure will come under the microscope and could determine things. We were recently told by EuroLeague Women Coach of the Year Lucas Mondelo (a close associate of Coach Lapena) that players win games and coaches lose games! An interesting ethos for sure!

Perimeter power v perimeter defense

The three-point power of BLMA remains spectacular and such a joy to watch. They continue to drop bombs from downtown and while Nadezhda also lit it up in the second leg of the Semi-Finals from long range, it is their perimeter defense that has caught the eye. Nadezhda have allowed eight or less triples in every game. That means this looks like being an awesome duel of perimeter power against perimeter defense. Which will come out on top?

The big Nadezhda 'box-out'

Nadezhda have out-rebounded their opponents in every game in EuroCup Women this season and perhaps most impressively, have not allowed any of their opponents to get 10 or more offensive boards. So, the question might be whether BLMA can break this and really crash that offensive glass through the likes of Endy Miyem and Helena Ciak. Or, will that big Nadezhda 'box-out' strategy do the business again for the first-leg host?

Jones against Ciak looks monumental

This is a pivotal battle in the paint. Both players have been brilliant for their respective teams all season long. Jones might be averaging those super double-doubles that we have been talking about so regularly, but don't discount the influence of Ciak just because her numbers are not quite so eye-popping. The French national team star is in the top three of her team's statistics for efficiency, points, rebounds and is the leading shot-blocker. She won't be out-muscled and pushed around by Jones so can use her body really well defensively to keep her opponent off the offensive glass. It looks like being a great battle to watch!

Does history say it will be Nadezhda?

Some people disregard history as having no relevance, while other people put a lot of store in what has been before. Neither team has won the competition, with Nadezhda having one previous Final appearance to their name, but Russian clubs have a great track record in the competition with four previous winners claiming six past titles. Meanwhile two of the last three EuroCup Women winners started the campaign playing in EuroLeague Women. The last time a French team (Pays d'Aix-en-Provence) met a Russian team (Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje) in the Final, they lost. Additionally, only one club in EuroCup Women history (Kayseri Kaski Spor) have played in multiple Finals and lost.

FIBA