FIBA Women's EuroBasket Top 100 Scorers: 80-61

MUNICH (Germany) - With 80 days to go to the highly anticipated start of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2023, it's time to move to the second part in our rundown of the top 100 scorers in competition history.

Divided into segments of 20 players each, this five-part series has already revealed those charted 100-81, with the remaining to be published every 20 days until we reach the coveted number one spot. 

Ranks 100-81
Ranks 80-61
Ranks 60-41

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80. Andrea KUKLOVA  SVK

 

GUARD/FORWARD

Birth date: 16/07/1971
Points: 364
Games played: 30
Participations: 4 (1993, 1995, 1997, 2001
Medals: 🥈(1997), 🥉(1993)

A versatile player who could do it all, Kuklova made people sit up and take notice. Not only in a national team vest, but also in club basketball having played in Europe and the WNBA. She was integral in catapulting her nation to a first ever podium in1993 as they took bronze and then to the 1997 title game - still their best placed finish. At both tournaments, Kuklova was her team's second highest scorer. 

79. Ecaterina VOGEL-SAVU 

GUARD / FORWARD

Birth date: 1946
Points: 367
Games played: 31
Participations: 5 (1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1974)

One of Romania's greatest ever female ballers, Vogel-Savu was a walking bucket and someone who averaged double-digits in four of the five editions of the competition she stepped out in. While Romania were not able to challenge for a medal during the decade that the versatile star played, it still remains one of the most, if not the most exciting and competitive periods of Romanian basketball.

=78. Wanda SANDON  

CENTER

Birth date: 01/10/1952
Points: 370
Games played: 42
Participations: 7 (1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981)
Medals: 🥉(1974)

Inducted into the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame, the imposing Sandon was an architect of one of Italy's biggest successes in 1974 when they finished with a bronze medal - their first podium finish since being crowned inaugural champions 36 years earlier. Just 17 at her first edition of the Final Round, she went on to amass seven participations; averaging a career best 15 points per game in 1978.

76. Marlies ASKAMP 

CENTER
Birth date: 07/08/1970
Points: 371
Games played: 26
Participations: 4 (1995, 1997, 1999, 2005)
Medals: 🥉(1997)

An absolute colossus and warrior in the paint, it was Askamp who provided the main thrust for Germany's greatest day when they took their one and only medal with a bronze at the 1997 edition.  She posted a tournament double-double of 19.9 points and 12 rebounds per outing and played 172 games for her nation, scoring 2330 points - also starring at cub level on both sides of the Atlantic. 

75. Tatjana OVETCHKINA 

GUARD
Birth date: 19/03/1950
Points: 375
Games played: 44
Participations: 6 (1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980)
Medals: 🥇(1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980)

Never losing a single game in international competition, it was a perfect six of six for Ovetchkina at Final Round. She pulled the strings in the backcourt as the amazing frontcourt mainly got the job done. Voted as the best point guard of the 20th century by the famous Sport Express newspaper, she was a walking assist. Sport also runs in her family as her son was a  professional ice hockey player.

74. Skaiditre SMILDZINIA-BUDOVSKA 

FORWARD
Birth date: 02/03/1943
Points: 377
Games played: 35
Participations: 5 (1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968)
Medals: 🥇(1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968)

A player that has so often been described as someone with incredible talent but who didn't perhaps get the wider recognition for her amazing skills and accomplishments, the forward was overshadowed by a legend alongside her in her great friend and fellow Latvian Uljana Semjonova. The Riga native and five-time title winner was a key wheel in the unstoppable Soviet basketball machine.

73. Maria VADEEVA  

CENTER

Birth date: 16/07/1998
Points: 378
Games played: 26
Participations: 4 (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)

Few if any players can get near to what Vadeeva has achieved at such a young age. She caused shockwaves with the crazy levels of maturity when she debuted in 2015 at just 16-years-old. Vadeeva instantly led the team despite her young age and then in the subsequent three tournaments, became a colossus and centerpiece with her scoring ability down low and appetite to make clutch buckets.

72. Lea Helena HAKALA  

SMALL FORWARD

Birth date: 15/03/1960
Points: 382
Games played: 21
Participations: 3 (1980, 1981, 1987)

Heralded as the best Susiladies player ever and a Finnish Basketball Hall of Fame entrant, she had truly incredible scoring power. To amass 382 points in just 21 games is phenomenal. Hakala averaged more than 16 points per outing in her debut tournament, then more than 18, then just over 19 in her last Final Round. The versatile winger had a great role model as her mum also played for Finland.

71. Irina OSIPOVA 

 
FORWARD/CENTER
Birth date: 25/06/1981
Points: 385
Games played: 51
Participations: 7 (2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)
Medals: 🥇(2003, 2007, 2011), 🥈(2001)

A three-time champion and four-time finalist in the competition, there is a slight irony in Osipova being in the all-time leading scorers chart since she was known mainly for some stellar work at the defensive end and as a massively underrated passer from the high post. But exploiting the pick and roll so well and eating up putback scores, her tireless work racked up an impressive points tally for Russia.

70. Milica RADOVANOVIC  

 

GUARD

Birth date: 05/08/1938
Points: 390
Games played: 40
Participations: 7 (1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968)
Medals:  🥈(1968)

With 157 games for Yugoslavia to her name, that was a record-breaking feat and Radovanovic was a central figure in a lot of hard work that eventually resulted in a historical chapter. Perhaps fittingly, it was in her last tournament in 1968 that Yugoslavia gained their first ever medal, making the title game. Captain of the team, the guard made them tick and is considered as one of the great Serbian players.

69. Galina SAVITSKAIA  

 

FORWARD / CENTER

Birth date: 13/07/1961
Points: 392
Games played: 38
Participations: 6 (1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987. 1989)
Medals: 🥇(1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987. 1989)

Like so many players who represented the Soviet Union during their glory days, Savitskaia only knew winning gold and her six participations were matched with six titles. The Minsk native ticked all the boxes with her size, strength, skills and basketball IQ. During her playing career, she moved to Spain in her late twenties and then went on to coach there for many decades too.

68. Danuta FROMM  

CENTER

Birth date:  26/02/1946
Points: 393
Games played: 39
Participations: 6 (1966, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978)

With an impressive six participations, there was a certain irony and indeed disappointment that the one tournament Fromm could not attend in 1968 was the historic one when her team won a first ever medal. Then, one edition after retiring they won another. That meant it was harsh for a player of her ability and scoring output that she never got to reflect on the podium finish her skills deserved.

=67. Anna KOTOCOVA 

GUARD/FORWARD

Birth date: 06/04/1968
Points: 396
Games played: 44
Participations: 7 (1985, 1987, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999)
Medals: 🥈(1989, 1997) 🥉(1993)

The center was one of the few players who got to firstly play in a title game with Czechoslovakia and then also do the same with Slovakia less than a decade later. In between this, she also had the honor of taking a first medal with her homeland in 1993 when they won a maiden medal with bronze. Kotocova was a massive influence at both ends of the court and also became a legend with Bourges.

=67. Laia PALAU  

 

GUARD
Birth date: 10/09/1979
Points: 396
Games played: 74
Participations: 10 (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)
Medals: 🥇(2013, 2017, 2019), 🥈(2007) 🥉(2003, 2005, 2009, 2015)

A Spanish and European legend, her record speaks for itself. Palau racked up a staggering 10 participations and 8 medals during her career, including three titles. Always known for her stunning creative ability, feeding her teammates is what she loved the most, but when there was a shot to be knocked down or play to be made, she could do it - as almost 400 Women's EuroBasket points testifies.

=65. Maryna TKACHENKO  

FORWARD
Birth date: 29/08/1965
Points: 402
Games played: 25
Participations: 4 (1991, 1995, 1997, 2001)
Medals: 🥇(1995)

The greatest moment for Ukraine came in 1995 when they won their first and only title to date. Tkachenko was at the heart of that glorious and historical success in Brno. Her 24 points in the Final against Italy was a typically influential offering as the only player to play all 40 minutes. She played in just 25 games at four editions and yet still surpassed 400 points to underline her scoring prowess.

=65. Anna MONTANANA 

FORWARD

Birth date: 24/10/1980
Points: 402
Games played: 32
Participations: 4 (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Medals: 🥈(2007)🥉(2005, 2009)

When Montanana arrived onto the FIBA Women's EuroBasket scene in 2005, Spain had just started to show their teeth on the big stage with successive bronze medals. The forward helped make this three in a row and then take them to a memorable  first silver in 2007. She was the team's second highest scorer and played the second most minutes at that edition which highlights her importance.

63. Milena JINDROVA  

GUARD

Birth date: 17/02/1944
Points: 404
Games played: 36
Participations: 5 (1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972)
Medals: 🥈(1966) 🥉(1964, 1972)

In one poll back in 2010, Jindrova was declared as the best Czech female basketball player of the 20th century and that speaks volumes to her incredible work. The guard once spoke about never being able to matchup with the massive height of the all-conquering Soviet Union, but having to use smarts and craftiness to at least compete. And, with her skills and IQ, they did just that.

62. Halina IWANIEC  

GUARD

Birth date: 05/01/1953
Points: 405
Games played: 43
Participations: 6 (1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983)
Medals: 🥈(1980, 1981) 

A history-maker for her country, Iwaniec was a driving force behind Poland taking a silver medal for the first time at the event in 1980 and then replicating the feat a year later. Beating the dominant Soviet Union was never a realistic possibility, but the guard was someone that provided the kind of awesome consistency that delivered a successful era and one Poland have never replicated since.

61. Petkana MAKAVEEVA  

GUARD

Birth date: 04/10/1952
Points: 409
Games played: 34
Participations: 5 (1974, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1983)
Medals: 🥈(1983) 🥉(1976)

Not only a scorer but a great team player and competitor, Makaveeva was an integral part of the Bulgarian team that won a bronze medal on her second Final Round appearance. She also then captured silver in 1983 on her last outing at the event, having made a big name for herself more widely at the 1980 Moscow Olympics in between with some superb displays. 

Next time, we take a look at positions 60-41 in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket Top 100 scorers list.

FIBA