The most fabulous frontcourts in the world?

NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - Despite the concerns of players drifting eastwards and into the WCBA, or the standing of the WNBA in the continual race to be the best women’s league on the planet, a glance at the two frontcourts of UMMC Ekaterinbug and Fenerbahce show that EuroLeague Women still has plenty to shout about.

Last year’s finalists are both expected to push hard to make the title game again next year, since both rosters are largely the same, although interestingly, both clubs have made merely slight adjustments and only in respect of their personnel operating in the paint.

Even more intriguingly, Quanitra Hollingsworth, the one player to depart the Russian powerhouse and reigning champions, has headed to Fenerbahce, a move driven partly by the added bonus of the naturalised Turkish center being on Turkish soil ahead of the all-important 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women.

It also means she will have something of an inside-track on UMMC head coach Olaf Lange and the way the 2013 winners operate on the practice courts and in the locker room, as well as an in-depth scouting report on her former team-mates.

Ekaterinburg have replaced Hollingsworth with a bona-fide EuroLeague Women legend in veteran Ann Wauters and she will play alongside another legend in the shape of Maria Stepanova. Certainly if they both play at the same time in games this season, you would struggle to find a more respected couple of European greats on the same floor and wearing the same club vests.

But the big question and debate is who has the best frontcourt in EuroLeague Women now?

For Fenerbahce have visibly made a huge effort to try and bridge the gap by not only adding Hollingsworth, but also drafting in rising star Tugce Canitez and French Olympian Isabelle Yacoubou.

They were caught in the trail of destruction left by the fantastic Candace Parker last season at the Final Eight as the LA Sparks star wrapped up a stunning season with a deserved MVP accolade to hand UMMC their first title for a decade.

It’s a seriously tough assignment to break down the frontcourts and choose who is the best.

With Wauters, Stepanova and the unstoppable and rejuvenated Parker already available to call upon, UMMC also have the irrepressible Sandrine Gruda and certainly the French star is another game-winner in waiting.

Meanwhile former Polish national team center Ewelina Kobryn and Russian national team forward Anna Petrakova complete a seriously six-strong rotation.

As for Fenerbahce, they may not have the same perceived level terms of reputation and profile, but most certainly have just as much in terms of potential production.

The services of twin towers Ivana Matovic and Anastasiya Verameyenka have both been retained and that is crucial. Matovic has been one of the top performers in the competition for years and the Serbian doesn’t always get the recognition her numbers and play deserves, whilst the ice-cool and shot-blocking machine Verameyenka had a dream first year in Turkey, with the Belarusian cementing herself as one of the best players in Europe.

With Yacoubou and Hollingsworth now also on the roster, that quartet in particular looks to be very, very capable indeed.

With Wauters and Stepanova in the twilight of their careers, the power and poise of this Fenerbahce quartet really stands out. The Turkish club also has the exciting Canitez to try and develop into a top-drawer player too.

Choosing between the frontcourts is impossible and In am trying desperately not to sit on the fence.

As a coach, would dearly love to have either and I will say that Fenerbahce can rightly claim parity with their rivals – even if Parker is still the standout player of all eleven mentioned.

Parity may not be the case in the backcourt though and that is why UMMC are still the favourites.

But, if and when these two teams meet and especially if at Final Eight next April, I won’t be able to take my eyes away from what will be an indescribably monumental battle under the boards.

Oh and don’t forget, rivals at club level, Gruda and Yacoubou are then likely to be paired back up together for Les Bleues next year to possibly go up against none other than Turkey at the 2014 World Championship Women – in Turkey!

Wow - absolutely fabulous!

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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