All eyes on Play-Off Round 1

MUNICH (Germany) - The Play-Off Round 1 tips-off this week as the race to make the EuroCup Women Round of 16 resumes and we have picked out some of the things you need to look out for.

One former champion

Of all the teams involved in the Play-Off Round 1, there is only a single former champion involved. Indeed the only previous Finalist too, and that is the famous Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje who won the silverware back in 2007 before they built that incredible EuroLeague Women legacy with four consecutive trophies. They are currently top of the scoring and assists chart this season and will be favorites to despatch Swiss side, BCF Elfic Fribourg.

History guaranteed for duo throwing ball away

There will be history made as first-timers Cadi La Seu lock horns with Basket Hema SKW in a bid to make the Round of 16 for the very first time. Although there is an irony that they have been paired together, since both are actually sat upon an unwanted podium. They have each reached this stage despite being in the top three of the entire competition for most turnovers per game, with SKW 17.3 per game and Cadi 17 per outing. They need to stop treating the game ball like a slippery fish on a river bank, since the outcome of this tie could be based around who looks after it best.

Third time lucky for ACS Sepsi?

They did a super double over two-time former winners Galatasaray during the Group action which was highly impressive, but reigning Romanian champs ACS Sepsi must be wondering whether to laugh or cry right now! That’s because in a quirk of the draw/rankings, they have ended up facing Artego Bydgoszcz in the Play-Off Round 1, with the Polish team having beaten them twice in the first phase. A 26-point home loss was particularly painful to take. But will it be a disadvantage mentally, or will it provide a welcome source of motivation and Sepsi can make it a case of third (and fourth) time lucky?

A tie not out of place in EuroLeague Women?

If you want to make a note of the possible tie of the round, then on paper at least, look no further than Aluinvent DVTK Miskolc against Olympicaos. Hungarian side DVTK are pushing for honors domestically and started 2019-20 competing in the EuroLeague Women Qualifiers, only being edged out by Reyer Venezia in the most agonizing of circumstances. Olympiacos were of course competing in EuroLeague Women last season and the Greek giants are wanting to make a deep run back in this competition. They have four players in double digits for efficiency including he likes of Jacki Gemelos, while Miskolc will rely heavily on the scoring machine and 2019 WNBA champion that is Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. The added spice is that the winner of this tie will go on to meet the ambitious Orman Genclik which could also be one of the ties of the Round of 16.

Déjà vu 

Navigating EuroCup Women and making the latter stages of the competition takes both quality and resilience. There are nine clubs who find themselves back in the Play-Off Round 1 again after appearing last season. They are Botas, Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje, WBC Enisey, Besiktas, Orman Genclik, Artgeo Bydgoszcz, Lointek Gernika Bizkaia and Basket Landes. Interestingly, none of these clubs made it past the Round of 16. All will be hoping for better this time around.

Can Lointek Gernika Bizkaia keep shooting the lights out?

The Spanish side have been feeling it out on the floor in those group games and have shot almost 50 percent from the field so far. That means Tsmoki Minsk are going to have to get some hands in some faces to nullify that threat. Although it is fascinating that Gernika don't actually score a lot of points at 72 per game.

A reigning EuroCup Women winner

The Play-Off Round 1 will see a EuroCup Women 2019 champion trading the hardwood, in the shape of Zhosselina Maiga of InvestInTheWest ENEA Gorzow. The Russian forward made a summer switch from Orenburg, having claimed a winners’ medal last season with Nadezhda, although she didn't get to play in the Final itself.

FIBA