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Defending EuroLeague Women champions ZVVZ USK Praha were one of several clubs to clinch a spot in the play-ins this week, defeating Beretta Famila Schio 78-66 and extending their winning streak to three games. It was another impressive win for Praha, as the club went undefeated in the month of January. They led Schio by as many as 17 points, scoring the ball efficiently from inside the arc (59.5 percent) while holding their opponents to just three fast break points.
It’s clear that this isn’t the same Praha team that went 3-3 in the first round of group play.
Even their blowout loss to Schio last month seems like a distant memory. Since then, they’ve annihilated Flammes Carolo Basket by 43 points, defeated Group E leaders Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring and gotten revenge against Schio, and they now have all the momentum heading into the last week of the regular season. Praha was even able to do without reigning Final Six MVP Brionna Jones in their most recent win, overcoming another strong game by Schio’s Jessica Shepard with five double-digit scorers of their own.
Three of the four play-in berths in Group E have now been claimed, with Praha (7-4) joining Galatasaray (9-2) and Spar Girona (8-3) in the postseason. The group’s final play-in seed will come down to next week’s head-to-head matchup between Schio and Tango Bourges Basket, who are currently tied at 6-5.
Landes defeats Valencia for their third-straight win
Meanwhile, in Group F, it was another magical week for Basket Landes, who are on a three-game win streak of their own. Landes defeated Valencia Basket Club 76-72, improving to 8-3 and clinching a spot in the play-ins.
The result was signature Landes—which is to say a win against all odds.
Despite trailing for the vast majority of the game (nearly 32 minutes), Landes played their best when it mattered most, outscoring Valencia 16-4 in the final four minutes of regulation and sinking free throw after free throw to preserve their narrow lead. Leïla Lacan (21 points) and Murjanatu Musa (26 points) did most of the heavy lifting, outplaying their more experienced opponents and ultimately avenging their loss to Valencia back in December.
With Landes and Fenerbahçe Opet (10-1) now having secured their spots in the postseason, Group F can send two more teams to the play-ins. Valencia, Casademont Zaragoza and Umana Reyer Venezia are all tied at 6-5, which sets up a potentially hectic finish to group play: Valencia will play Venezia in a win-or-go-home scenario, while Zaragoza will simply try to take care of business against DVTK HUNTHERM (1-10).
Coulibaly returns to power Girona past Carolo
When Girona lost center Mariam Coulibaly to a foot injury earlier in January, they were tied with Galatasaray atop Group E, blowing their preseason expectations out of the water and looking like a strong contender for the group’s top overall play-in seed. As the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, replacing Coulibaly’s production proved to be a challenge for Girona, and they lost two of their next three games with her on the sidelines.
Fortunately for Girona, Coulibaly made a speedy recovery, returning to the court this week for her team’s game against Carolo. Simply put, she didn’t miss a beat, scoring a game-high 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field as Girona cruised to an 89-58 win. Coulibaly’s offensive efficiency is a huge part of Girona’s identity, and having her back in the lineup will obviously help their chances when they take on Galatasaray next week.
