MUNICH (Germany) - The starting pistol is loaded and about to be fired for another EuroLeague Women campaign as 16 teams prepare to battle it out in pursuit of title glory.
But whether one of the frontrunners, underdogs or somewhere in between, every club is guaranteed to play their part in the usual unpredictable and entertaining Regular Season roller-coaster.
Group A
This could turn out to be the most balanced group of them all, with arguably no huge-hitter in it and every club feasibly finishing in any of the four spots. It's maybe not quite a 'Group of Death' but it's a group where a lot of pain is going to be potentially inflicted on every club.
Schio have been at a Final Four and Final Eight, so now want to complete the set with a Final Six appearance this season. DVTK HUNTHERM had an amazing run last year and almost made the competition's season showpiece, but is their surprise element now gone? Avenida have made five key signings so may need time to gel before making a big push, while Basket Landes are cut and paste from previous campaigns and will try to punch above their weight.
The favorites: Beretta Famila Schio could just sneak first place. But even if handed the favorites badge, it's only hanging there by the finest of threads. You have to think that the scoring power of Ivana Dojkic and Kitja Laksa on the wings will put them in a good place - along with experienced playcaller Georgios Dikaioulakos. The underdogs: Basket Landes have never really worn any other label during their many seasons in the competition and it is one they usually embrace. As with most seasons, it will be a battle as they trade punches with some slightly deeper rosters. Although there is arguably little to fear in this particular group. Key matchup: Perfumerias Avenida have incomers such as Arella Guirantes, Masa Jankovic and Cierra Burdick to integrate, so if chemistry is good they could make a big play for pole position. It feels like their two battles with DVTK HUNTHERM will be really significant. The Hungarians have given the value of continuity a huge tick and if one of these clubs doesn't split and takes 2-0 in the head-to-head it would be huge.
The star: Mariella Fasoula of Perfumerias Avenida is back from injury and also one of the 10 top stars to watch this season. Back from a prolonged spell on the sidelines, if the Greek center gets back to full health and form, then she will be an absolute handful. The rising star: Iyana Martin Carrion is another reason to follow Avenida with a close eye this season. She has smashed it in a big way at FIBA youth level for Spain and has the scoring power and mentality to not only establish herself at this level, but to really shine in time. The X-factor: The home form of Basket Landes. If they are slight underdogs, that could be ripped up completely if they perform well at home. In past years they have taken some big scalps in Mont-de-Marsan, which means that if they can win two or three of their home games in this pool, then a fly will be in the ointment and who knows how it will end up!
Group B
There is one standout team in Group B that looks head and shoulders above everyone else in the shape of Mersin CBK, meaning first place is seemingly an absolute lock. But the other three places could go either way and it will be fascinating to see if Tango Bourges Basket have done enough recruitment-wise to take second position. Losing an incredible leader like Sara Michel Boury is tough on them and she will leave a vast hole to fill defensively.
Olympiacos will be competitive and have some talent with Merrit Hempe, Ivana Raca and Kyra Lambert, who will be the main guns, while Zabiny Brno will be confident of finding wins as they make a return to the tournament after a 10-year gap. The favorites: CBK Mersin are not just runaway favorites to take the number one spot in Group B, they're one of the red-hot frontrunners to land the title itself next April. Packed with stellar names, their quality and depth of rotation means that anything less than six convincing wins would be a shock.
The underdogs: Zabiny Brno are a club that once won this great competition back in the day, but despite their success in the recent Qualifiers, they will probably be viewed as underdogs in this group. But they play with energy and purpose, so might derail some of their rivals - especially if Elissa Cunane keeps balling out. Key matchup: Being underdogs doesn't rule out Brno from getting wins on the board and they will fancy their chances against Olympiacos. This will be the key head-to-head in the race to avoid an early fall through the trap door into EuroCup Women.
The star: Marine Johannes will have all eyes on her as she prepares for a first ever season in the competition outside of France. But when the spotlight falls on her, she usually embraces the challenge and delivers. Get ready for a stream of highlight reels to be incoming from the guard. The rising star: She's not exactly a young gun anymore at 22-years-old, but Pauline Astier should have more room to establish herself and shine for Tango Bourges Basket. Can the French guard make an impact, find some of her best form and make a renewed push for national team selection? The X-factor: The rotations of CBK Mersin. That will be so interesting with many new players to see if everyone can be kept happy, firing from the first tip and whether the ambitious Turkish club looks and feels like a potential first-time champion during this initial group phase.
Group C
Can Fenerbahce Opet make it three in a row? The reigning champions have a real incentive to hold onto their crown and they will feel like they are the team to beat - not only in Group C, but also in this year's competition. The other 2024 finalists Villeneuve d'Ascq LM have not held on to many of their leading players and could find this year more of a struggle, but at least have a great coach in Rachid Meziane to guide them through.
Outside of Fenerbahce Opet nailing down first place, the group has a strong air of unpredictability about it. From the unknown of Villeneuve's post fairytale story, to how Casademont Zaragoza somehow follow up their own Cinderella run last year. Throw in a reset button being pushed by KGHM BC Polkowice and it's all to play for. The favorites: Fenerbahce Opet should coast their way to the top of Group C with a core that holds the likes of Emma Meesseman, Julie Allemand, Gabby Williams, Tina Charles and Ariel Atkins. They are stacked like usual and it would be a monumental upset if they moved anywhere near a loss in these first six games.
The underdogs: KGHM BC Polkowice have a massively new roster for the upcoming season and it maybe throws up more questions than answers around how they will do together. However, they could very much take down Villeneuve or Zaragoza and catch everybody by surprise. They certainly have a huge amount of experience to make it happen. Key matchup: Coming off spectacular 2023-24 seasons, even getting close to replicating there respective accomplishments looks to be a near-impossible task on paper for both Villeneuve d'Ascq LM and Casademont Zaragoza. The real challenge will be surviving this group and not end up competing in EuroCup Women. The star: Emma Meesseman will once again continue to lead Fenerbahce Opet and is striving to become the most decorated player in EuroLeague Women history. You would not back against her making this happen and cementing her legendary status. First up though, who's got the nightmare task of having to guard her in this first phase of the competition?
The rising star: Carla Leite is a young baller with huge expectations on her shoulders and she enters what will be her first full season of EuroLeague Women chasing the performances and numbers to deliver against the hype. The French guard is hugely capable and will be ready to breathe some fire for Villeneuve! The X-factor: The Casademont Zaragoza fans. They were incredible last season as their team posted a phenomenal rookie season, but perhaps this time it might prove more difficult. But with the numbers of supporters they have and the noise they make, this could be the sixth player and help get their teams the wins they need.
Group D
Is this group going to be a two-horse race between Valencia Basket Club and ZVVZ USK Praha? This is not exactly a shock analysis since both are packed with elite ballers. Valencia have loaded up with experience and frotncourt strength by bringing in the likes of Kayla Alexander, Bernadett Hatar and Kristine Vitola. Praha have kept the faith with their usual faces but beefed up in a big way by re-calling the brilliant Brionna Jones.
Umana Reyer Venezia have some exciting talents including Awak Kuier and Matilde Villa, as well as know-how with Kamiah Smalls and Dragana Stankovic, but will probably struggle to break the stranglehold of the two big-hitters. Meanwhile, Uni Gyor might be left cursing being in this group and will know they have a fight on their hands to avoid EuroCup Women, but the presence of Bridget Carleton to lead them could be the key.
The favorites: Valencia Basket Club but by the absolute faintest of margins ahead of Praha. The Spanish side are super ambitious and have shaped their roster into one that has more options and arguably more quality than ever. Their big focus on replenishing the frontcourt and largely sticking with their mainly Spanish backcourt is looking like it could be a recipe for success. The underdogs: Uni Gyor would probably not be the underdogs in any other group and they might argue they have a better case to avoid the label than Reyer. We will soon find out if they can tear up this script and avoid the Group D basement. Key matchup: It's worthy of the 2025 title game itself. Yes, when Valencia meet Praha in both of their respective games, it could be an insight into a Final Six clash. It's tough to envisage too many losses for each club against Gyor or Reyer, so these two meetings will surely decide who's claiming top spot honors. The star: Alina Iagupova could be the baller that delivers the Final Six success that Valencia crave. If she is given the opportunity, she could light up this group - and the competition. A scoring and assists machine, the Ukrainian also has clutch ability built into her DNA. Can she re-discover some of the magic from her most productive seasons with Fenerbahce when she was twice crowned Regular Season MVP.
The rising star: Matilde Villa is a young and fearless guard who's skills deserve to be showcased on the biggest stage and she has the opportunity to show why she is one of the most talented and exciting rising stars on the Continent. Already becoming an influential member of the senior Italian national team, she could be about to light up this Group too. The X-factor: The big guns firing for Gyor and Reyer - or not. If these two clubs want to really cause some surprises then they both need their biggest stars operating in a high gear across the season. Gyor will need Bridget Carleton to catch fire and Virag Kiss to have one of her best seasons in the competition in the paint. Reyer will require Kamiah Smalls to pull the strings like she did last season for Villeneuve and Dragana Stankovic to shine inside with Awak Kuier.
FIBA