The reigning Euroleague and Russian champion UMMC opened the new European club season with a victory in the European Super Cup.
UMMC Ekaterinburg - "Nadezhda " (Orenburg) 87:67 Quarters: 21-19, 17- 17, 27-14, 22-17
Unlike its opponent, UMMC did not come up to the first title match with an optimal composition. The full return of strikers Alba Torrens and Tatiana Petrushina is still ahead. Center Natalia Vieru is also recovering after damage. A couple more "big " UMMC Jonquel Jones and Emma Meesseman will put an end to the decisive match of the final series of the women's NBA tonight overseas. And nevertheless, this did not stop the "foxes" from updating their collection of achievements, adding to it their fourth victory in the European Super Cup. Previously, UMMC won the one-match continental tournament in 2013, 2016 and 2018.
It seemed that the beginning of the meeting between the two European winners was developing better for the parquet owners. After a great long-range hit by UMMC newcomer Ellie Quigley, the Yekaterinburg fans could believe in an easy victory for the "foxes". But Erica Wheeler boldly accepted Quigley's challenge. The playmaker of "Nadezhda " not only zealously dragged the team along, but in the first time period at some point even surpassed the most productive Brittney Greiner in points scored.
From beyond the arc, Wheeler actively supported Anastasia Shilov, and in paint Nio Reinkok-Ekunwe. And the charges of George Dikeulakos were carried forward. But it didn't last long. Until the first captain's long-range hit by Evgenia Belyakova, and Courtney Wanderslut returned everything to square one by the first short break. UMMC left the floor again in the rank of leader. During the second ten minutes the teams tested each other for strength, looking for weaknesses. But without finding anything new and not feeling and playing this segment in a draw, we left for a long break, after which the situation on the floor changed radically.
In the third time period, center Maria Vadeeva gradually came to the fore. The start of the game at the center was clearly not set, and the number of personal comments very quickly reached a critical point. But in the course of the second half of the match, Maria added 11 points to the team's piggy bank in 7 minutes, finishing with 13 points and 5 rebounds.
In the final quarter, UMMC was already unstoppable. Raisa Musina, fearlessly fighting for the rebound, did not forget to replenish the team's piggy bank with the points gained over and over again. The difference in the score in favor of UMMC was growing non-stop and towards the end Miguel Mendes released youth players Victoria Zavyalova and Dayana Dinza Hernandez onto the floor. And even if the youth did not score with points this time, they entered their names into the historic fourth victory of the UMMC in the European Super Cup.
The most productive and efficient player of the meeting was UMMC center Brittney Greiner, who scored a double-double - 28 points and 11 rebounds. Evgenia Belyakova earned 17 points, while Courtney Wanderslut gave 10 assists. As part of the rival Erika Wheeler before the double-double, there was one assist - 20 points and 9 assists.
