Fenerbahçe storms into the semifinals

YEKATERINBURG

Fenerbahçe won the game 73-70 to send Sparta&K home and handed the last four ticket to Bourges, who finished the group as runner-up.

Fenerbahçe marched into the Euroleague Women Final Eight semifinals as Group B winner after a win over Sparta&K Vidnoje yesterday.

The Yellow Canaries won the game 73-70 to send Sparta&K home and handed the last four ticket to Bourges, who finished the group as runner-up. Cappie Pondexter powered Fenerbahçe with 26 points.

In an absorbing and intense match-up, Sparta&K just could not find the execution it needed down the stretch, with head coach Pokey Chatman conveying the feelings of her players after the game, saying, “Our emotion is one of huge disappointment, because they are prideful players and they knew the possibilities.

“It’s tough playing against a team with great rebounding guards who have size and quickness. You have to win the battle on the boards and I think we gave up too many second chance points,” she added.

Galatasaray bows out of the Final Eight

Other Turkish team in the competition, Galatasaray bowed out of the Final Eight with three defeats in as many games. The Lions lost 72-44 to UMMC Ekaterinburg, who won the Group A.

Host UMMC Ekaterinburg will meet Bourges in the semifinals, while Fenerbahçe will take on the winner of the Good Angels Kosice and CCC Polkowice match, which was scheduled to be played later today.

The semifinals will be played tomorrow and the Euroleague Women final will be held on March 24 in Yekaterinburg.