World Basketball

    Yelena Leuchanka was the Most Valuable Player on a Wisla Can-Pack Krakow side that won the Polish league title last month.


    On Monday, the club announced the Belarus international center will no longer be with the team.


    "For reasons beyond the control of the club, the contract with Yelena Leuchanka has been terminated," Wisla said in a statement in which they also announced the signings of Petra Ujhelyi and Milka Bjelica.


    Wisla had only announced on May 5 that Leuchanka had signed for the 2011-12 campaign.


    A member of the All-Star Five at the FIBA World Championship for Women after leading Belarus to an upset of Russia in the Quarter-Finals and to within a whisker of a place in the Final, Leuchanka played for Gorzow before switching to Wisla in January.


    In the EuroLeague Women, she averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds for Wisla while in the Polish league, she averaged 12.6 points and 8.4 boards.


    Montenegro international Bjelica's numbers were 13.3 points and 6.1 rebounds in the EuroLeague Women with Lotos Gdynia last season.


    The 29-year-old is expected to compete at the EuroBasket Women next month with her country.


    Ujhelyi, 30, is a Hungary international who played on the Rivas Ecopolis side of 2009-10 that won its Qualifying Round group in its first-ever appearance in the EuroLeague Women.

    Halcon Avenida have jumped back into the limelight with several player signings and the renewal of coach Luca Mondelo's contract.


    The EuroLeague Women champions have signed Mann Filter Zaragoza duo Lucila Pascua and 35-year-old sharpshooter Allison Feaster-Strong.


    Both were instrumental in Zaragoza's run to the EuroCup Women Quarter-Finals this season.,


    Pascua, 28, averaged 5.6 points and 6.2 rebounds and Feaster eight points.


    Pascua has represented Spain since the EuroBasket Women 2003 in Patras when Spain staged a dramatic comeback in the bronze medal game to beat Poland and qualify for the Olympics.


    Avenida have also brought in 33-year-old guard Laura Antoja from Girona while agreeing to an extension with veteran Isa Sanchez.


    With young guard Marta Xargay coming back, the biggest cause for optimism may be the presence of 29-year-old Erika De Souza, the Brazil center that averaged 12.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.


    Halcon Avenida have also confirmed that Lucas Mondelo will remain in charge for another season.


    The club said in a statement: "Avenida and the Catalan coach Lucas Mondelo will continue together after the agreement that was reached a few days ago.


    "Just a mere conversation was needed to decide what was the best for both the club, and the coach.


    "In this way, the coach of the European champions, Super Copa and league champions will remain on the books in the 2011-12 campaign."


    Mondelo, who is also the Spain U20 women's team coach, led Avenida to a Super Copa, EuroLeague Women and Liga Femenina treble this season.


    He knows that without players like Alba Torrens (signed with Galatasaray), Sancho Lyttle, Silvia Dominguez (both Ros Casares) and Anke De Mondt (Wisla Can-Pack Krakow), the team will not be as strong.


    Mondelo spoke about Avenida being in transition earlier this month.


    "We have to start again," Mondelo had said.


    "In this club, we know the financial limitations that we have.


    "We cannot point to top class players.


    "We need to search lower."


    Meanwhile, one of the most experienced players in this season's Avenida team, Australian Belinda Snell, has looked back at the treble-winning campaign.


    "It was just an amazing feeling and so fantastic for all the supporters there in Salamanca," Snell said.


    "They're very passionate. It was an amazing experience and something I'll never forget, winning the Euroleague.


    "Then beating Valencia (Ros Casares) as well in the Spanish League, that was a huge deal for the club and for me personally, because I played for Valencia the year before. It was a successful season and a great time."

    Anna Vajda --->Halcon Avenida


    Halcon Avenida have strengthened their frontline with Hungary international Anna Vajda.
    The 26-year-old, looking to re-establish herself as a force in the EuroLeague Women after a disappointing season which saw her depart Fenerbahce in late January for ZVVZ USK Prague, now has the perfect place to do so with most of the Salamanca club's players having left for new challenges.
    In the 2009-10 campaign, Vajda was one of the leaders of Pecs and averaged 14.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in Europe.
    While Avenida have lost power forward/center Sancho Lyttle to rivals Ros Casares, they have now added two quality frontline players in Lucila Pascua and Vajda.

    The EuroBasket Women 2009 MVP Evina Maltsi of Greece has signed for Polish outfit CCC Polkowice.


    Maltsi spent the last three seasons at ZVVZ USK Prague but was limited to just four games in the 2010-11 EuroLeague Women campaign because of injury.


    The Greek star is 32 and will represent her country next month in Poland, when the EuroBasket Women is staged.


    "I am confident that we will get a lot of benefits from this signing," said Polkowice club president Krzysztof Korsak.


    "We hope above all for a good performance in the EuroLeague in which she has vast experience."


    Polkowice have been very busy in the past week.


    The team has also signed former FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year Gintare Petronyte, Montenegro international Iva Perovanovic and Poland national team guard Agata Gajda.


    Fernandez Pens Deal At Halcon Avenida


    Defending EuroLeague Women champions Halcon Avenida have signed Spain international Marta Fernandez.


    Coming off a disappointing season at Ros Casares, Fernandez will now have an opportunity to make amends with many of the players in Avenida's title-winning team having left for new clubs.


    Ros Casares, meanwhile, have announced that general manager Carme Lluveras will be with the Valencia club for a sixth consecutive year.


    Turkey International Saziye Ivegin Joins Gala


    Saziye Ivegin has ended her stay at Fenerbahce and joined their Turkish rivals Galatasaray on a two-year contract.


    Ivegin, who will play at the EuroBasket Women next month in Poland with Turkey, joins a Gala side that is preparing for a big season.


    The club recently announced that former Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje and Fenerbahce star Diana Taurasi would play for the team.


    Prague Bring In Burgrova


    ZVVZ USK Prague have signed Czech international Ilona Burgrova.


    Burgrova, a 27-year-old center, represented the Czechs at last year's FIBA World Championship and helped the host country capture a silver medal.


    She has spent the previous two seasons playing for Pierre Vincent at Bourges in France.


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    I really don't know which teams will qualify to the Final Four this year :what:


    Halcon lost all important players and also Spartak has no star player in their roster this year.


    Ros Casares will be definitely in Final Four and UMMC too. :teach:


    GSMP seems strong with Torrens, Charles, Taurasi and Fowles but their Turkish players are really very inefficient except Bahar Çağlar. And Fowles won't play in Euroleague and they still have one spot for an European player. This choice is very important for them.


    I didnt think my team (Fenerbahçe) could achieve something in Euroleague this year but our roster is better than most of the teams, so we really have a chance for the Final Four this year. Our nightmare Spartak won't be a nigtmare for us any more i guess and i hope ;)

    Dexter no Final Four from the new season.
    Final Eight- Host and 7 Teams.
    Final Eight will be one week. Two Groups with 4 Teams and matches every in every in the Groups.
    After that Teams from 1st places will fight for the Gold, from 2nd for the Bronze.

    Quote from Bartek

    In the new season in the Women's Euroleague will be changes:
    1- 24 Teams, 3 Groups, 8 Teams in one,
    2- Final Eight, 2 Groups, 4 Teams in one will play each other,
    3- The Winners of the Groups will play for the Gold, the Teams from the 2nd places-for the Bronze,
    4- The Host will be chosen before the end of the first phase.
    What do You think about New Rules?

    Quote from Bartek

    Dexter no Final Four from the new season.
    Final Eight- Host and 7 Teams.
    Final Eight will be one week. Two Groups with 4 Teams and matches every in every in the Groups.
    After that Teams from 1st places will fight for the Gold, from 2nd for the Bronze.


    I didn't see anything about that before Bartek sorry :what:
    This system is going to be more exciting.More matches more excitement !
    And i really hate elimination matches :down: (Thats maybe because we lost three times before :lol: )
    In first round (3 groups of 8 teams) only 7 of the 24 teams could reach the next step, that means 2 teams from each group and best third team.
    We will watch more matches between topclass teams. That is nice i think, change is good most of the times ;)

    Quote from Bartek

    Dexter no Final Four from the new season.
    Final Eight- Host and 7 Teams.
    Final Eight will be one week. Two Groups with 4 Teams and matches every in every in the Groups.
    After that Teams from 1st places will fight for the Gold, from 2nd for the Bronze.

    The new system is good but I think it should have been like that:


    In the Final Eight Groups the first and 2nd teams will play semi final then the winners will play for Gold, loosers will play for Bronze..

    About no play-offs I don't know for sure. Maybe somehow FIBA will do them. The official rules will be in the half of June.
    For Me I see very high Valencia and Galatasaray. Maybe UMMC and Fenerbahce will do suprise.

    Quote from dexter

    GSMP seems strong with Torrens, Charles, Taurasi and Fowles but their Turkish players are really very inefficient except Bahar Çağlar. And Fowles won't play in Euroleague and they still have one spot for an European player. This choice is very important for them.

    Galatasaray Medical Park will have also one European player in its roster..Even it could be 2 players.I think oneof for 4th position and the other for 1 or 2.. I hope one of this player will be Becky Hammon.. :heart: I hope our Turkish players will perform well too..Bahar Çağlar will be the key player for the team both in the league and in Europe.Işıl was injuried last year that is because she didn't play so well this year.But I believe that she will be in a good shape in next seaon..
    Our roster would be like that next year in Euroleague:


    European Guard/Taurasi/Torrens/Bahar/Charles


    My favourite teams for Final Eight:
    -Ros Casares
    -UMMC Ekaterinburg
    -Galatasaray MP
    -Spartak Moscow
    -Fenerbahçe
    -Halcon Avenida


    However we don't know the groups yet so this teams may change.


    Galatasaray MP has very good players but still have so many problems. Fowles wont play in Euroleague so they need a center but this player only could play in Euroleague games, there is no need to have a center if you have Fowles Charles and Bahar. And they also need a very good point guard i know GS fans really love Işıl but she is not more than she played last year. She always makes mistakes at the most important moments (thats just my opinion ^^ ). And there is not any high level guard in Europe now. Just Becky Hammon as you said.
    But this problems only occur in 3 or 4 matches in the season if you have Diana Taurasi you don't have to think much (i know it :lol: )
    UMMC is not a surprise i think they are so strong they kept all important players. And they really want to be successful in Euroleague i hope they will :)

    Quote from dexter


    Galatasaray MP has very good players but still have so many problems. Fowles wont play in Euroleague so they need a center but this player only could play in Euroleague games, there is no need to have a center if you have Fowles Charles and Bahar. And they also need a very good point guard i know GS fans really love Işıl but she is not more than she played last year. She always makes mistakes at the most important moments (thats just my opinion ^^ ). And there is not any high level guard in Europe now. Just Becky Hammon as you said.
    But this problems only occur in 3 or 4 matches in the season if you have Diana Taurasi you don't have to think much (i know it :lol: )
    UMMC is not a surprise i think they are so strong they kept all important players. And they really want to be successful in Euroleague i hope they will :)

    Actually we don't need a point guard a lot..We already have Taurasi, Torrens and Charles who can score in any time.We just need a guard that passes to the centers and makes assist.Her first purpose must be that..But if she scores well and makes what I said in the previous sentence that would be great (for instance Hammon :D ). However I wouldn't be sad if Liron Cohen comes to Galatasaray.

    Quote from kadir_8

    Actually we don't need a point guard a lot..We already have Taurasi, Torrens and Charles who can score in any time.We just need a guard that passes to the centers and makes assist.Her first purpose must be that..But if she scores well and makes what I said in the previous sentence that would be great (for instance Hammon :D ). However I wouldn't be sad if Liron Cohen comes to Galatasaray.


    Actually this is none of my business :D but you really need one good European guard ;)
    1---> Işıl, ?
    2,3---> Alba, Taurasi, Şaziye, Gülşah
    4,5 ---> Charles, Fowles, Bahar, Melisa(?)


    And as far as i know Liron Cohen signed with Schio Famila(ITA)

    Quote from kadir_8

    What do you think about Fenerbahce for the next season? :?:


    Last year before season, everybody said that Fenerbahçe is one of the best teams in Europe.
    There are 4 new players this year
    Hana Horakova---> Elina Babkina
    Anna Vajda---> Zana Tamane
    Şaziye İvegin---> Kübra Siyahdemir
    Diana Taurasi---->Angel McCoughtry
    Vajda and Horakova did almost nothing last year so their absence wont affect team much(Although Hana played very well in Final of TKBL :D )
    Diana is the best and she is really a winner :) i admit that. I don't think a player in the world could replace her but Fenerbahçe is playing with same 3 players for 4 or 5 years they really get used to play with each other that is a huge advantage. It is all about Angel and Penny i think. If Angel could play as a member of the team not for herself and if Penny shows her real performance we could be so succesfull. (This season is going to be hard for us because after so many years we are not favourite. :) )