By Jeff Taylor

The early battles have been fought in the EuroLeague Women.

Now it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty and at least one team, Ros Casares, is ready.

After this week's 77-47 triumph over Galatasaray, Ros Casares' strong Qualifying Round was confirmed when they received a top-four ranking behind undefeated Spartak Moscow Region, UMMC Ekaterinburg - the team that beat them to first place in Group A - and surprising Wisla Can-Pack Krakow.

In the ranking system,  wins and losses were taken into account first, and then goal coefficients.

So despite another surprise team, Spanish outfit Rivas Ecópolis, coming in first place in Group C, Ros (8-2) received the higher ranking.

The top-four ranking did not allow Ros to avoid a difficult best-of-three Eighth-Finals match-up against ZVVZ Prague, though, a team that beat the Spaniards last year.

Prague have quality players in their squad, and not just EuroBasket Women MVP Evina Maltsi.

Lindsay Whalen turned on the style in their must-win game at MKB Euroleasing Sopron and scored 28 points to fire Prague to a 96-93 victory.

"I'm happy that we finished in the first four," Ros Casares veteran Amaya Valdemoro said to Basketball World News.

Valdemoro was sidelined by a calf injury her for the early part of the season and is not yet 100% but does look formidable as always.

She had 21 points on Wednesday night against Galatasaray while the week before against Cras Basket Taranto, one of the teams to beat Ros when Valdemoro was out hurt, she had 20 in an 87-59 blowout triumph for her team.

"But I think we need to respect Prague because we need to remember we lost there (in the Qualifying Round) last year," she said.

And that loss to Prague was costly because it prevented Ros Casares from winning their group and led to them facing a much harder Quarter-Final against Spartak Moscow Region, a tie the Russians won in three games before marching to a third straight title.

"We are looking forward to being at the Final Four," Valdemoro said. "That was our goal for this year. Really, it doesn't matter which team we are going to play against because whoever it is, we have to win no matter what."

The jury is out on how good Ros Casares are, and will be.

They do have a roster full of all-star talent that includes Delish Milton-Jones, Erika De Souza, Valdemoro, Elisa Aguilar, Belinda Snell, Anna Montanana, Laia Palau, Jana Vesela and Becky Hammon.

Every one of those players could start on most teams and be influential.

Snell, the star of Australia's Semi-Final win over Brazil at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women and a top player with Bourges two seasons ago, joined the Valencia club in the summer while Hammon came on board after the start of the season.

"I think we are a solid team," Valdemoro said.

"Belinda is a great player and also a great person and it's easy to play with her.

"She is a great shooter but she is also a great passer.

"Snell helps the team a lot when she is on the court because she opens up the zone. They need to guard her."

Hammon is a former teammate of Valdemoro's at CSKA Moscow and is one of the biggest stars in the game.

She was the MVP of last year's EuroLeague Women All-Star Game in Paris after famously becoming a naturalized Russian and playing for them at the 2008 Olympics.

Hammon was without a club after helping the Russians win a silver medal at the EuroBasket and Ros signed her, believing her to be a extremely valuable asset - especially when the opponents are UMMC or Spartak.

Valdemoro says Hammon's value should be measured in terms on, and off the court.

"Becky Hammon is my really good friend," Valdemoro said.

"She gives a lot when she plays. She creates plays that only she can do while outside the court, she is also important for the team.

"She is a wonderful person with a great values. I love to play with her because she is an amazing person and also player."

Ros Casares have already been through the wars this year and not just in the EuroLeague Women.

They face real opposition now in Spain in the shape of Halcon Avenida and Rivas.

Ros edged Halcon Avenida in the Copa de la Reina final earlier this month.

Avenida, who hosted the EuroLeague Women Final Four last year and lost to Spartak in the title game, look better this year.

Not only did they sign Sancho Lyttle, a dominating presence in the low post. They went out and acquired Alba Torrens, the most exciting player in Spanish basketball since Valdemoro joined the national team set-up in the late nineties.

"Our games are really intense and you never know who is going to win," Valdemoro said.

"They have become a more dangerous team. They have scorers inside and outside.

"But Rivas are good, too! They won in Salamanca by 20 points not long ago."

Indeed, Javier Fort's Rivas prevailed 77-58 on January 16 in their domestic clash.  

What needs to happen for Ros Casares to get back to the Final Four for the first time since 2007, when Spartak hosted the event and beat them in a thrilling final?

"We just need to keep improving in our play each and every day," Valdemoro said.

"We need focus and to be concentrated on the next game, and not look too far ahead.

"Every game is different. The main thing is, we just need to focus on us."