EuroLeague Women Preview: Wednesday 7 December
KURSK (EuroLeague Women) – It’s a fully loaded day of action on Wednesday as all 16 EuroLeague Women clubs take to the floor for the fifth week of the Regular Season.
KURSK (EuroLeague Women) - It's a fully loaded day of action on Wednesday as all 16 EuroLeague Women clubs take to the floor for the fifth week of the Regular Season.
For five-time EuroLeague Women title-winning coach Natalia Hejkova, there's still plenty of scope for improvement for her ZVVZ USK Prague side - even if they are one of only three clubs still perfect and sat pretty with a 4-0 record.
The play-caller wasn't overly impressed by last week's narrow 61-59 success against BLMA, even if there were some positive aspects. Now she is ready to see where her team truly are as they prepare to go up against a fellow flawless opponent in Dynamo Kursk, which is set to be followed by another tough match-up.
"It was a terrible game [against Montpellier]," insisted Hejkova.
"Some players are not in the best shape at the moment and I was very surprised that we didnt have confidence in our shooting at the beginning of the game.
"But, it was still a very important win for us and the positive thing was 18 offensive rebounds and I was very proud of this accomplishment.
"Now we have Kursk and Fenerbahce away, so there will not be such a big pressure for us and we can only surprise."
Fenerbahce had their perfect start ended by Kursk last week and they will look to bounce back when they head to Krakow to face a Wisla Can-Pack side who finally got off the mark at the fourth attempt.
Avrupa liginde 5.hafta... #euroleaguewomen #mersinbsbspor pic.twitter.com/Enu4aJv4IU
— Mersin BŞB Spor (@mersinBSBspork) December 5, 2016
At the opposite end of the spectrum in Group A, something will have to give when Mersin entertain Uni Gyor – hoping they can finally record an historic first-ever win in the competition at the fifth attempt.
There is justification for believing one of the most attractive games of Week 5 could be in Montpellier. The hosts welcome Beretta Famila Schio as both Isabelle Yacoubou and Endene Miyem return to their homeland with the Italian champions who lost for the first time domestically last weekend.
Meanwhile in Group B, two more French teams are also in action on home soil as Tango Bourges try to avoid a third straight loss without captain Johannah Leedham, who is out for up to three months with a foot injury. To do so will mean them having to end the perfect start of Nadezhda Orenburg.
There's a repeat of the SuperCup Women Final as ESBVA-LM entertain UMMC Ekaterinburg. Only this time, Diana Taurasi will be suiting up for the visitors in Villeneuve, with head coach Olaf Lange also looking for his team to continue their improvement on the glass.
"This work is in progress and it's as simple as that.
"In the first half in our last game against Bourges, we lost 10 rebounds and in the second half it was only two and so the progress is evident."
Elsewhere, CCC Polkowice will make another attempt at finally getting rolling as new head coach Maros Kovacik re-enters the EuroLeague Women arena and they face Hatay who have also not recorded a victory so far.
Finally, high-flying Perfumerias Avenida will be hoping they can demonstrate an ability to win on the road when they hit the hardwood in Sopron.
Group A
Mersin v Uni Gyor
Dynamo Kursk v ZVVZ USK Prague
Wisla Can-Pack v Fenerbahce
BLMA v Famila Schio
Group B
Uniqa Sopron v Perfumerias Avenida
CCC Polkowice v Hatay BSB
ESBVA-LM v UMMC Ekaterinburg
Tango Bourges v Nadezhda
FIBA