Team Profile: Wisla Can-Pack
KRAKOW (EuroLeague Women 2017) - We continue to profile clubs competing in EuroLeague Women 2017 and next in line are Polish champions Wisla Can-Pack who have undertaken major roster surgery during the summer.
Last season: Wisla had a strong case to be crowned one of the teams of 2015-16 after they defied their limited resources, wafer-thin roster and a 0-4 start to finish in the top eight of the competition as head coach Jose Hernandez and his players turned things around in striking fashion to make the post-season, where they eventually lost to Turkish juggernauts Fenerbahce.
Roster: It’s all-change for Wisla aside from a handful of domestic returnees in the likes of Agnieszka Szott-Hejmej, Magdalena Zietara and Malgorzata Misiuk. Perhaps ironically, the most important acquisition could be another home-grown talent in the form of Poland national team star Ewelina Kobryn who brings incredible EuroLeague Women experience to the table after a career of playing in the competition and she knows the club well from her previous spell in Krakow. She will have some rookies to help and will operate with WNBA player Ziomara Morrison as the Chile national team standout takes her first footsteps in the tournament. Romanian star Claudia Pop does the same and she has played in Liga Femenina of late, as has the free-scoring Belgian guard, Hind Ben Abdelkader who is capable of big things if she gets it right.
First official game with the new colors in the book 🔴🔵⚪️ #win #wisla #oneteam #letsgetit pic.twitter.com/TSFbqBLLFp
— Hind Ben Abdelkader (@hindbena) October 2, 2016
There is also a Spanish connection with Sandra Ygueravide coming in to replace her compatriot and the now departed Cristina Ouvina. The firepower will be delivered by Tennessee graduate Meighan Simmons who poured in more than 20 points per game in Italian basketball last year.
Key player: There is so much responsibility on the shoulders or the experienced Ewelina Kobryn as she looks to be the centrepiece of this team which is packed with so many new faces and EuroLeague Women rookies. Her veteran know-how will be priceless both on and off the floor and especially during the most difficult moments. She will bring the physical presence and a good defensive match-up option under the basket as she looks to drop the anchor down in the early part of the season, while others around her settle.
‘X-Factor’: For so many years there has been a real buzz surrounding Hind Ben Abdelkader and now she has the stage which many feel she deserves to showcase what she can do. Will she be able to deliver? Well it promises to be exciting as she has such an extensive and dynamic skill-set which could light up the highlights reel if she manages to adjust to life at the elite level.
Stat attack: It showcases how great defence can get you success, since Wisla were the second lowest scorers with just 58.9 points per game last season and yet still made the top eight.
Social media stars: Go for Hind Ben Abdelkader [@hindbena] on twitter and Agnieszka Szott-Hejmej [agiszott22] on Instagram.
Outlook: It's going to be another challenge for Wisla Can-Pack who don't have the same depth as many of their rivals. But as they showed last year, they have to be respected and can be most dangerous when backed into a corner and looking like they are down. They have great home support, a well-respected coach who has seen and done it all and so they are likely to have more memorable nights – even if there will inevitably be some tough ones too. Making the top four will be very, very difficult in this Group and it looks like an unlikely prospect on paper. The loss of Justyna Zurowska-Cegielska will hurt them as she takes maternity leave. Yet with so many players keen to prove themselves in this competition, if they find the chemistry needed, they could cause a surprise.
FIBA
