Roundup: Dominguez drives Avenida to Copa glory

GIRONA (EuroLeague Women/EuroCup Women) – Silvia Dominguez produced a captain's performance to inspire Perfumerias Avenida to a Copa De La Reina title with a famous 80-76 comeback win at Spar Citylift Girona.

MVP DOMINGUEZ DROPS HEARTBREAK ON HOSTS
For much of the Final, it had looked like Copa hosts Girona would be heading towards the silverware when leading 45-30 early in the second half, but the locals were left stunned as Avenida turned the game on its head with a jaw-dropping 21-2 run during the third quarter.

Dominguez led her team expertly and finished the contest with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, with the loss tough to take for Ify Ibekwe who had 22 points and 12 rebounds in defeat.

TURKISH GIANTS TAKE A TUMBLE
It’s rare that juggernauts Fenerbahce and Galatasaray both fall on the same day in the Turkish League, but that is what happened over the weekend after the former were outlasted 62-60 at Besiktas in a thrilling Istanbul derby match-up. While Alexandria Quigley netted 25 points for Fenerbahce it wasn’t enough for the leaders.

Galatasaray are now fourth in the standings as they went down in a close encounter 77-74 at Adana Botas as Odyssey Sims lit it up with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

Bellona AGU are now level with Galatasaray as they squeezed out a precious 61-60 victory at home to Adana Aski, while Yakin Dogu Universitesi have a share of the lead at the top of the table. They moved to 14-3 after overwhelming MBK Dogus Hastanesi thanks mainly to 16 points and 9 boards from Bahar Caglar.

Hatay and Mersin have crunch games in EuroLeague Women on Wednesday and they warmed up nicely with league victories. Hatay scraped past Samsun 59-57 as Courtney Paris harvested a monstrous 21 boards and Natalie Hurst racked up 20 points.

Mersin outpaced Girne Universitesi 74-69 as veteran playmaker Nilay Kartaltepe handed out an extraordinary 19 assists.

HRUSCAKOVA HELPS GYOR SOAR
CMB Cargo Uni Gyor took a vital 83-75 victory against title rivals PEAC-Pecs as Zsofia Hruscakova top-scored for the hosts with an impressive 19-point haul.

Both clubs are competing with Uniqa Sopron who had little difficulty in shrugging off Vasas Akademia 92-63, as Cayla Francis posted an astonishing 21 points and 22 rebounds.

VBW CEKK Cegled are in EuroCup Women Round of 8 action on Thursday and they will head into the game with confidence after breezing past MTK Budapest 93-69 as Maja Skoric came up with 30 points and 11 rebounds.

SCHIO SUFFER SHOCK AT HOME
There was a surprise loss for Beretta Famila Schio in the Italian League as they were beaten on their home floor by Fila San Martino. Lithuanian national team forward Egle Sulciute did the damage with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Reyer Venezia are now level with Schio after they claimed the scalp of leaders Gesam Gas Lucca with a hard-fought 60-58 victory.

Marie Ruzickova was the difference-maker with a brilliant 17 points and 15 boards.

There was also success for Passalacqua Ragusa after Astou Ndour carried them past Torino 68-61 with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE
Maria Vadeeva and Nnemkadi Ogwumike shared 28 points for Dynamo Kursk as they strolled to an 87-57 win against Enisey Krasnoyarsk in the Russian Premier League. Nadezhda had to come from behind to overcome Chevakata 83-79 as Amanda Zahui erupted with 30 points, while leaders UMMC stormed past MBA Moscow 106-63.

Wisla Can-Pack and CCC Polkowice both collected victories in the Polish BLK, with the former benefiting from the return of Ewelina Kobryn who had 15 points and 11 rebounds as they beat Widzew Lodz 80-45. Polkowice were powered by Isabelle Harrison, whose 21 points and 13 boards underpinned a 66-54 triumph at AZS-UMCS Lublin.

Four out of the top five in the French League picked up wins, with only Basket Landes falling short 82-79 at Mondeville.

FIBA