Sopron secure Quarter-Finals spot, Galatasaray get rolling with first win

BOURGES (France) - Sopron Basket are the first team to stamp their passport to the post-season after the Hungarian club reached the EuroLeague Women Quarter-Finals.

They extended their unbeaten record to an impressive 5-0 in Group D after easing out hub hosts and the still winless Bourges Basket 74-67. Sopron switched gears with a powerful run either side of the interval, turning a narrow deficit heading towards half-time into a double-digit lead by midway through the third quarter. 

 
That gave them the cushion they needed to hold on in the closing minutes as Bourges tried to make a late run to snatch victory. Jelena Brooks was the main architect for the triumphant Sopron, finishing with an excellent 19 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 70 percent from the field. Zofia Fegyverneky and Gabby Williams also contributed 16 and 15 points respectively.

Despite another loss, Isabelle Yacoubou stood out for Bourges with 20 points and 8 rebounds.

Meanwhile. in the other game of the group, it was a case of third time lucky for Galatasaray, who got off the mark with a super 89-63 victory and first success of the campaign.

The decision last week to bolster their roster with additional quality and experience paid instant dividends. Both Angel McCoughtry and Epiphanny Prince were influential, with the latter netting a team-high 16 points.

Galatasaray hit the ground running right from the tip and never looked back after racking up 34 points in the opening period to take a commanding double-digit lead. And, while the veteran duo of McCoughtry and Prince took the headlines, it was Turkish guard Asena Yalcin who arguably impressed most as she claimed a near double-double of 9 points and 9 assists, a well as 6 rebounds.

FIBA