EuroLeague Women 2007 System Of Competition

Sales Carries Brno To Title

Nykesha Sales chose the opportune time to have the game of her life.

The American guard came off the bench to score 16 points in the fourth quarter of a hotly contested game to lead Gambrinus to a 68-54 win over Samara, giving the Czech team their first ever EuroLeague Women title.

Bobrovsky Wants To Build Dynasty

Gambrinus Brno coach Jan Bobrovsky believes his side can become the tournament´s dominate force after winning their first ever EuroLeague Women title on Sunday.

Gambrinus, who lost last year´s final, got their revenge over defending champions Samara with a 68-54 victory at the Brno Arena.

Harrower Shoots USVO To Bronze

French side USVO secured third place in the 2006 EuroLeague Women Final Four on Sunday with a 77-62 win over Lietuvos Telekomas. It was the first Final Four appearance for the 3-time champions since 2004 when they were last crowned champions of Europe.

USVO took a beating in the semi-final against Gambrinus Brno, who held the French to a season low 54 points. However, against Lietuovs, USVO rediscovered their offensive touch, led by an outstanding display from Australian point guard Kristi Harrower who had a team high 21 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Sales Steals Final Four MVP Honours

Gambrinus Brno's Nykesha Sales had unfinished business with BC Volgaburmash Samara going into today's EuroLeague Women championship game.

Sales played her first ever game in Europe at the FIBA World Women's League in Russia in October 2005. Brno met Samara in the final, and Sales shot 1/8 from the field for two points as Samara romped to a 70-61 lead.

Samara Look To Learn From Final Defeat

Samara may be down, but the 2005 Euroleague champions are certainly not out. Their loss at the hands of Gambrinus Brno in the 2006 Final Four may have been bitter, but defeat can also bring positive impetus for change.

"I think we learned from this experience," said Samara's Ann Wauters after playing in her 6th Final Four (for the record, she has won three times).

Douglas Refects On Experience In Lithuania

Katie Douglas may have looked frustrated throughout her team´s 77-62 loss to USVO in the game for third place of the Final Four, but that does not take away from the overall positive experience the American has had in her second season with Lietuvos Telekomas.

Douglas, the leading scorer during the EuroLeague Women season, was terrific in defeat, scoring 30 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field.

Year of Women´s Basketball On Display In Brno

The Year of Women´s Basketball, an 18-month sustained effort to promote the women´s game, has been prominently displayed in Brno, Czech Republic for the EuroLeague Women Final Four.

The provocative logo is displayed on player´s uniforms, floor stickers and on the rotating boards, among other places.

Gambrinus And Samara Seek Revenge In Championship Game

Gambrinus Brno and BC Volgaburmash Samara are both seeking revenge in their own way following losses last year as the two teams are set to battle for the EuroLeague Women championship later today in Brno.

Gambrinus suffered a heart-breaking defeat at the hands of Samara in last year´s EuroLeague Women finals.

The International Language Of Basketball

You won't find her name anywhere on BC Volgaburmash Samara's roster. Yet Irina Zverintseva plays a significant role in the club's success.

On a roster that includes five nationalities and a coach that speaks Russian and a little French, Zverintseva provides translation to players as part of her responsibilities as manager of external relations.

Samara Hold On For Championship Shot

EuroLeague Champions BC Volgaburmash Samara left it late, but managed to squeeze out a 2-point victory over Lithuanian side Lietuvos Telekomas in the Final Four in Brno on Friday night.

Samara never expected an easy ride against a Telekomas side in their second consecutive Final Four, but the champions never really managed to hit their stride, and left it to the last seconds to secure the win.