EUROLEAGUE WOMEN - Don’t underestimate four-time defending champions Spartak

MUNICH (EuroLeague Women) - Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje no longer have Team USA duo Diana Taurasi or Sylvia Fowles, and their fellow American Janel McCarville has also left for a new club.

But Russia captain Ilona Korstin of Sparta&K has offered a word to the wise for those making bets on this year’s EuroLeague Women which tips off on Wednesday night.

Korstin has warned: "We have a very competitive team and a very smart and good coach (Pokey Chatman). I think we can defend the EuroLeague title."

Taurasi, who played on the Sparta&K teams that captured the last four EuroLeague Women crowns, decided to leave for Fenerbahce while Fowles moved to Galatasaray and McCarville joined Beretta-Famila Schio.

USA international Sue Bird will return to Sparta&K after Christmas and remains one of, if not the best, points guards in basketball.

They may not have Taurasi, but the Vidnoje club does have Australian Lauren Jackson.

While she had a sub-par FIBA World Championship when her Australia squad fell in the Quarter-Finals to the Czech Republic, everyone knows that she will be one of the leading players in Europe after spending last season back home playing for the Canberra Capitals.

The 29-year-old has won three WNBA MVP awards - the third this season.

There is so much more at Sparta&K.

Anete Jekabsone-Zogota of Latvia is the former FIBA Europe Women's Player of the Year who is looking to take her game to a new level.

The scoring machine is only 27 and in a team that no longer has Taurasi, she is almost certain to be one that stands out.

There are newcomers like Epiphanny Prince and Noelle Quinn, and former MKD Euroleasing Sopron star Jelena Milovanovic.

"We will miss Diana Taurasi," Korstin said.

"She was very special for the team not only as a player but as a person.

"I don't how it will be without her.

"But we will have Lauren Jackson, who is coming back.

"She is one of the best players in the world.

"Sue Bird has stayed and then we have very good European players like Anete Jekabsone and Jelena Milovanovic, with Sonja Petrovic (eventually) returning to play after injury.

"And we also have Russian players like Irina Osipova."

On opening night, Gospic Croatia will host UMMC Ekaterinburg, ZVVZ USK Prague will entertain Halcon Avenida, VICI Aistes will take on Sparta&K, Ros Casares will visit Nadezhda, Tarbes will travel to Galatasaray, Wisla Can-Pack Krakow will go to USO Mondeville and Bourges will take on Gorzow in France.

Thursday night’s week one games include Pecs 2010 v TTT Riga, Lotos Gdynia v MKB Euroleasing, Rivas Ecopolis v Fenerbahce, Cras Basket Taranto v Good Angels Kosice and Beretta-Famila v Frisco Sika Brno.

FIBA