Liberty Primer for EuroLeague & EuroCup Quarterfinals

The annual EuroLeague and EuroCup Women’s Leagues showcase the most talented squads across Europe in a season-long tournament that pits some of the biggest stars from the WNBA against one another.

While there are several circumstances where in domestic play, a few teams in a league may invest more in foreign talent than others, EuroLeague and EuroCup action provides the opportunity to see the best of the best.

For the Liberty, several stars have been competing in EuroLeague and EuroCup all season, and the playoffs for both leagues are in full swing this week.

While the EuroCup has gone through two rounds of playoff action so far, the EuroLeague opens on Tuesday, as both tournaments begin quarterfinal competition. Here is a primer on the Liberty stars who will be competing this week, including a big head-to-head matchup between a couple of new teammates.

Piph helped Dynamo Kursk post a perfect record during group play for the EuroLeague, the only team to do so, which has resulted in a quarterfinal matchup against Bourges, the only team in the quarterfinals without a current WNBA player on its roster. Prince is averaging 8.9 ppg, 3.1 apg, and 1.5 spg in EuroLeague play, shooting .545 from inside the arc. Prince and Dyanamo Kursk will be heavily favored to advance to the semifinals.

Amanda Zahui B has been fantastic for Orenburg during EuroLeague action, averaging 14.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, and 1.3 apg. She ranks 5th in the league in rebounding, as she is nearly averaging a double-double. In the quarterfinals she will go head-to-head with a new Liberty teammate in Kia Vaughn and USK Praha who finished 3rd in Group A.

Kia Vaughn and USK Praha went 9-5 in a very difficult Group A that featured unbeaten Dynamo Kursk to set up a quarterfinal matchup with Nadezhda Orenburg, and one of her new teammates Amanda Zahui B. One of the best quarterfinal matchups of the tournament, this will see several big-time WNBA stars battling it out, including Vaughn and Zahui B going against one another in the post.

It’s already been a great ride for Rebecca Allen and Good Angels. After succeeding in a must-win game in the group play finale against Olympiacos, Good Angels went on to upset both Carolo Basket and Cegledi to advance to the quarterfinals against Galatasay. Their opponent from the Turkish League went 6-0 during group play and is led by budding WNBA star Moriah Jefferson. This will certainly be the toughest test of the season for Allen and Good Angels.

Tanisha Wright and Abdullah Gul have cruised into the EuroCup quarterfinals. After posting a perfect 6-0 record during the group stage, they advanced past Nice and Girona. Wright is averaging 12.2 ppg and 4.5 apg during EuroCup matches, shooting an impressive 49-of-78 from two-point range.