EuroLeague Women Semi-Final preview: Fenerbahce vs. Nadezhda Orenburg Region

ISTANBUL (EuroLeague Women) - We take a look at what could lie in store during the second Semi-Final clash at the EuroLeague Women Final Four in Istanbul.

Host club Fenerbahce are determined to make it third time lucky after recent back-to-back Final defeats. The juggernauts are hoping to use home advantage and the strength of their partisan fans to lift the coveted silverware for the first time. Standing in their way are first-timers Nadezhda and former Fenerbahce head coach Roberto Iniguez, whose impeccable Final Four record in Semi-Finals will need to be shot down if the expectant locals are to gain some satisfaction on Friday night. 

What they say

Fenerbahce guard, Birsel Vardarli Demirmen - "We are being empowered to play in front of our fans. We're in the Final Four again and we thank our home court organisation, the club president and the government for their support as we're excited to host such an event for the first time. To both host it and play in front of our supporters will give us a separate and added motivation. At the Final Four we have played the Final twice and hopefully this time we will extend the result to getting our hands on the Trophy."Nadezhda center, Angel Robinson - "When we play this Semi-Final against Fenerbahce, we need to do so as a team. We need to play hard and be consistent at both ends of the floor. It is important that we focus on our defensive strategies and be able to communicate with each other. This is especially the case with Fenerbahce having home-court advantage. And mostly importantly, we must not allow Fenerbahce to control the tempo of the game if we want to be successful." 

Key match-up

Both Alexandria Quigley and Kayla McBride are essential to their respective teams in terms of the firepower that they possess and if one of them misfires in this Semi-Final encounter, it will transfer the pressure onto their team-mates offensively. Both have very similar numbers in what has been their first seasons with their respective clubs. They are also similar in terms of the way they can help out on the boards and do other things - they are not just about shooting and putting the ball in the hoop. Quigley has enjoyed a better time from the perimeter and McBride has been clinical going to the bucket or sinking sweet inside jumpers. It's one of many, many fascinating match-ups. 

Key stat

There are some variations between both teams in terms of the main numbers, mainly in the favour of Fenerbahce as you would anticipate from one of the top teams from the Regular Season. The standout number could be the struggles Nadezhda have had from downtown. They have managed to reach the last four of the competition despite shooting only 27.4% from long-range. So, if they do finally make some consistent scores from behind the three-point line, they might make life really uncomfortable for their opponents. 

Game notes

- The last time these teams met in the competition was early in 2015 when Nadezhda completed a 64-56 win over Fenerbahce under George Dikeoulakos. Although the last time they met in Istanbul earlier in the 2014-15 season, it was Fenerbahce who prevailed 65-54. Interestingly, the hosts top five scorers on that particular day have all since moved on.
- Anna Cruz, DeWanna Bonner and Natalia Anoikina are the only survivors from Nadezhda's first-ever Final Eight appearance during 2014.
- Bonner has currently scored 267 points in this season's tournament and looks the only realistic prospect of joining Diana Taurasi in reaching the magical and presently exclusive 300 mark. The Nadezhda forward also has a great opportunity to finish with more defensive rebounds than any other player and is just six behind Crystal Langhorne on 116 boards for the season.
- Nadezhda head coach Roberto Iniguez has a perfect 3-0 record in EuroLeague Women Semi-Finals, having won his first on the way to the top of the podium with Ros Casares in 2012 and then taking Fenerbahce to the 2013 and 2014 Finals. The Spaniard also has a 100% record of reaching Final Four during every season he has coached in the competition.

For full EuroLeague Women coverage, click here.

FIBA