MUNICH (EuroLeague Women) - Women's basketball specialist Paul Nilsen reflects on the latest round of EuroLeague Women action and opts for a strong Spanish flavour.

Avenida angling for revival with Beard
Perfumerias Avenida have given their EuroLeague Women campaign a real boost by welcoming Alana Beard onto their roster.

The Spanish side have chosen to re-enforce their options with the addition of the veteran guard, who has previously appeared in the tournament with Lotos Gdynia and most recently Wisla Can-Pack during the 2012-13 season, where she averaged more than 15 points per game.

With a WNBA track record to her name as well, the 33-year-old will bring an all-round package of skills and know-how to the table at Pabellon Wurzburg.

That could help Avenida to make a late surge. They got a good win during the week and with home advantage heavily skewed in their favour during the remaining fixtures - they could now be a lock for a place in EuroCup Women. Perhaps a Quarter-Final place in EuroLeague Women may just be out of reach - even if they do post a strong finish.

Relief for the rookies
They celebrated the victory like it was the climax of a Final Four, but that was wholly understandable as Spar CityLift Girona won for the first time in almost four months when they beat Mithra Castors Braine.

It was only their second ever success in the competition and I was so impressed with the way they played against an opponent who had beaten Agu Spor a week earlier.

You also have to recognise it has been a desperately bleak autumn and winter not only in EuroLeague Women. Girona have also suffered several painful dents to their pride domestically. For in their capacity as reigning Liga Femenina champions, they have suffered a rash of losses.

With that in mind, you really did feel what it meant to them to get this big win in the books.

Weekly gongs
Team performance of the week: There were a couple of standout displays this week and I confess I was torn. I was going to give it to SparCity Lift Girona for beating Mithra Castors Braine. However, I have had to go with Tango Bourges Basket for a massive win at Agu Spor which could just now give them an impetus that allows them to sneak into the last remaining Quarter-Final spot in Group B. They were under huge pressure, they couldn't field new signing Shay Murphy, are notoriously poor travellers and were against a side who had not lost at home - yet they still got it done. A great job, with congratulations to Valerie Garnier and her team.
Individual performance of the week: I think it has to go to Noemi Jordana of Spar Citylift Girona who is a colossus. She shot the lights out from downtown en-route to 23 points against Castors Braine and also handed out five assists.
Unsung hero: Another Spar Citylift Girona player in the shape of Naignouma Coulibaly. She played a great cameo behind the headline contributions of Jordana and Krisi Givens. The Mali national team star was a perfect four-of-four from the field as she finished with 10 points and was just one rebound away from a double-double.
Rising star: Guess who? Yes, Aleksandra Crvendakic, our resident of this award scored 24 points for Uniqa Sopron against Avenida in another terrific display. There was also an action-packed minute for Hulya Coklar of Fenerbahce as she debuted in the competition and grabbed three boards.

Crunching the numbers
- Ashley Walker of Beretta Famila Schio became the first player this season to snap up a scintillating seven steals in a game when she did the business against Dynamo Kursk.
- Noemi Jordana and Diana Taurasi both made a superb seven triples in their respective games for Spar Citylift Girona and UMMC, equalling the highest tally which was set by Taurasi herself earlier in the campaign.
- Silvia Dominguez matched the feat of her compatriot Laia Palau as she reached double-digits in assists for a second time this this season when she handed out 10 of them for Perfumerias Avenida against Uniqa Sopron.
- The 89 points scored by UMMC against Wisla-Can Pack was the third highest tally by a team this season.
- Both Beretta Famila Schio and Perfumerias Avenida racked up 20 offensive rebounds in their games and that had only been done once previously - by Schio!

Footnotes
- It was the most predictable result in the competition so far this season as UMMC pounded Wisla Can-Pack to end their winning streak - the juggernauts had clearly been stung by their prior homecourt loss to Nadezhda.
- Finally, huge credit to Beretta Famila Schio who have recovered from their mid-season wobble and are looking good again at 7-3 for the season. Could they be a bit of a dark horse for Final Four? I've not really heard too many people talking about them yet, but they are very dangerous when they rebound the ball so well.

Go to fibaeurope.com/euroleaguewomen for full coverage of the EuroLeague Women.

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