The top 3 reasons Famila Schio can win EuroCup Women

SCHIO (Italy) - The 2019 edition of EuroCup Women is exciting and wide open as we approach the Quarter-Finals and here are the main reasons why Famila Schio can take the coveted silverware.

The first hurdle for the Italians to get over is their pending tie in the last eight of the competition against Cukurova Basketbol.

1. Allie Quigley

To have one of the best shooters and scorers not only in the competition, but also in the women's global game is a massive plus for Schio. Not only that, but Quigley is a reigning EuroCup Women champion, having been a driving force behind Galatasaray winning the trophy last year - rather ironically, denying glory to Schio's arch derby rivals, Reyer Venezia. With Quigley on board, they have a player who can match the offensive firepower in this Quarter-Finals meeting with Cukurova and Alina Iagupova. Last season she came alive in the big moments and if anybody can, Allie can.

2. Momentum and a second opportunity

As far as second chances go and the opportunity to have a 'mini-season' within a season, few clubs will grab it with both hands like Schio. They headed into the EuroLeague Women Regular Season last October knowing it would be tough after comprehensive roster surgery, but nobody and especially playcaller Pierre Vincent envisaged a horrendous 0-7 start. Since they got their first win, they have gone 4-3 and 2019 is being a lot kinder to them. A tale of two seasons. Yet from the despair of late 2018, they could genuinely post a massive threat and emerge with the most unlikely of triumphs. While Cukurova will be tough, there is a so much to be said for momentum in basketball, especially that which has caused storm clouds to evaporate and the sun to shine. In fact, this almost feels like a 'free hit' for Schio and they are capable of a big swing!

3. It feels like time for the frontcourt to shine

The team rebounding has been terrible for Schio, which is not the wholesale fault of the players based predominantly in the paint, but if ever a frontcourt looked like being able to slip up a gear, then surely it is this Schio rotation under the basket. It is bulging with world-class talent in terms of Sandrine Gruda and Jantel Lavender who are shooting around the 50 percent mark (with Gruda really looking fully back in shape of late), while Slovenian standout Eva Lisec is also a force to be reckoned with. If this trio can take things up a notch and the team as a whole can box out more effectively and aggressively, few opponents should be able to match up with them.

FIBA​