EuroLeague Women: Semifinalists Fenerbahçe, Valencia headline the Final Six

The first-ever EuroLeague Women Final Six is set.

Fenerbahçe and Valencia clinched spots in the semifinals, while ÇBK Mersin, ZVVZ USK Praha, Tango Bourges Basket and Beretta Famila Schio will have to battle it out for the other two spots on April 9.

Fenerbahçe stays perfect against Schio

Kitja Laksa did her best, scoring 25 points for Beretta Famila Schio, but her team once again came up short against the reigning champs.

Schio provided the toughest challenge for Fenerbahçe so far this season, losing by a total of 10 points in two games. In order to win the game, Fener’s coach Valérie Garnier cut the rotation down to seven players. The one-two punch of Meesseman and Williams did it again, leading their team to another victory. Meesseman had 19 points and 10 boards, while Williams had 16 and nine, adding two steals and two blocks. Williams and Meesseman scored the last four points in crunch time, two came from a layup by Williams and the last two from Meesseman on free throws.

Because they had earned a spot in the semifinal play-ins based on their season-long group play performances, Schio is still alive in the competition and will compete for a semifinal spot against Praha on April 9.

Mersin, Bourges into Final Six

Mersin had to score over 32 points to make it to the semifinal and they came up short by 17, but that shouldn’t take away from the fight they put up against Valencia. Natasha Howard had 18 points and 10 boards, while Marine Johannès scored 21 points. Mersin won by 15, but Valencia’s lead from the previous game was too big. However, like Schio, Mersin is in the Final Six, facing Tango Bourges Basket on April 9.

Bourges is in the semifinal despite losing their second game against Zaragoza, who had to win by more than 20 points to attain the point differential advantage in this quarterfinal play-in matchup. Zaragoza won by just nine points, eliminating them from the competition. For Bourges, Amy Okonkwo was again great, scoring game-high 17 points. The Nigerian forward is averaging 15.4 points and 5.3 boards this season.

Quarterfinal Play-Ins results

ZVVZ USK Praha 69, Basket Landes 43

Casademont Zaragoza 73, Tango Bourges Basket 64

Semifinal Play-Ins results

ÇBK Mersin 92, Valencia Basket Club 77

Fenerbahçe Opet 64, Beretta Famila Schio 60