EuroLeague Women fairy tale for Wisla Can-Pack

The Wisla Can-Pack supporters were very vocal from the start of this EuroLeague Women decider game against Frisco Sika Brno.

The two teams played at a lively pace all through the first quarter. The lead changed hands on several occasions with neither team being able to gain control.

Iziane Castro Marques (left) from Wisla came up with the two plays of the first quarter: She first went on a coast to coast to put the hosts in front (21-20) with three minutes to play.

Her second action was a three-pointer end-of-quarter buzzer beater for her team to win the first quarter (26-24).

Hollie Grima brought her side level with 5 quick points (29-29) with 11 minutes played.

However Castro Marques (14 points) quickly restored the advantage back for the hosts with back to back scores. But the guests from the Czech Republic refused to stay down.

Frisco Sika Brno, struggling inside the paint, went to the perimeter and were back in the lead after Jelena Skerovic and Taj Mc Williams fired in shots from beyond the arc.

Neither team appeared to be interested in defense as they continued to exchange baskets.

Liron Cohen opened her account at the end of the quarter with back to back scores to take Wisla Can-Pack into the locker room ahead (47-45).

After the break the teams were more aggressive and played harder in defense. Scoring in the paint was difficult for both sides so most of the points came from outside (51-51).

Ewelina Kobryn and Janell Burse (both in picture) started to win rebounds under the offensive boards for Wisla Can-Pack to open the first lead of any significance (61-55) after 27 minutes.

Frisco Sika Brno continued with shooting from beyond the arc. Yet they had no luck and went into the final quarter trailing (57-63).

However the guests reverted back to the starting five for the final ten minutes. This meant that Grima (15 points) returned to the bench.

Hana Horakova started the Brno comeback with a steal in her own half and a simple lay-up. She then completed the 10-4 run with another steal and a lay-up (65-65) to bring the teams level with six minutes to play.

Burse (20 points) got Wisla going with a difficult put-back. But it was a big three-pointer from the top of the key by Kobryn that put Wisla back in the driving seat for good.

Kobryn (12 points and 10 rebounds) struck again this time in the paint (73-65).

This forced Jan Bobrovsky, the coach from Frisco Brno, to call for a time-out with three minutes left to play.

Skerovic continued to cause Wisla Can-Pack problems.

However Marta Fernandez's flying drive to the basket with the game in money-time finally settled the nerves of the hosts (75-68).

The guests battled away and trailed by 3 points when Skerovic (18 points) connected from beyond the arc with 10 seconds left to play.

Frisco Sika Brno then went on a full court press and almost won the ball back. Yet Burse got in the way and got the ball to Fernandez (17 points), who raced down the court to score more or less on the buzzer (78-73).

Wisla Can-Pack will now meet Ros Casares in the EuroLeague Women final four.

Wisła Can-Pack: Marta Fernandez 17, Liron Cohen 7, Anna Wielebnowska 0, Katerina Zohnova 3, Ewelina Kobryn 12, Agnieszka Majewska 2, Janell Burse 20, Paulina Pawlak 3, Iziane Castro Marques 14.

Frisco Sika Brbo: Jelena Skerović 18, Taj McWilliams 15, Hollie Louise Grima 15, Hana Horakova 9, Eva Vitecková 9, DeWanna Bonner 7.

Box Score: Wisla Can-Pack 78-73 Frisco Sika Brno

Frisco Sika Brno force game three

Game one quarter-final success for the home teams

Look back at game two stories from the eighth-final

Euroleague Women pairing set

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