Fenerbahçe secured their spot in the EuroLeague Women’s final for the fourth time in five seasons by defeating Spar Girona with a dominant 76-59 performance. After a slow start, the Turkish powerhouse found their offensive rhythm, establishing a double-digit lead before halftime with a crucial 16-5 run. They maintained control throughout the remainder of the game, keeping Girona at bay.
Key contributors for Fenerbahçe included Emma Meesseman, who posted an impressive stat line of 14 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds. French internationals Gabby Williams added 13 points with a performance index rating of 17, and Iliana Rupert scored 12 points with a rating of 14.
American star Breanna Stewart had a quiet offensive outing for Fenerbahçe, scoring just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting.
In the other semi-final, Marine Johannès was the leading scorer with 16 points, including 4 three-pointers, and added 4 assists. Galatasaray, after controlling most of the game, managed to withstand a comeback attempt from Casademont Zaragoza, driven by their home crowd, to clinch a 63-56 victory.
For the Spanish side, Merritt Hempe was their top performer with 18 points and 8 rebounds. Carla Leite was the second-highest scorer with 12 points, but shot inefficiently at 3-of-11. Aminata Gueye contributed 7 points, while Ornella Bankole struggled offensively, scoring only 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting, a stark contrast to their performances in the previous round against Basket Landes.
“I am happy and we are proud of the team,” stated Marine Johannès. “It was a tough game, especially in front of their supporters. We started well, but the opposing team reacted. We had to stay focused, and we can be proud. We have excellent cohesion.”
The EuroLeague Women’s final is scheduled for Sunday at 8 PM and will be broadcast on FIBA’s YouTube channel.
