LWB’s All-EuroLeague Women teams

Posted by: Jānis Kacēns 2012-03-12 23:29 in EuroLeague Women, Featured

Only award FIBA Europe hands out in EuroLeague Women apart from the championship trophy is Final Four/Eight MVP. Well, that’s pretty boring. I’d suggest FIBA Europe to significantly increase the number of their awards to make people talk about the tournament more and discuss player performance. Thus I’ve created my All-EuroLeague Women teams for the first part of the tournament. Final Eight will be a tournament by itself.

Seeing how 90% of first two teams filled out with American/Australian players, I added an All-European team to the mix and rounded out all of the teams with an All-Youth squad. Players born in 1989 or later were considered for the youth team.

First All-EuroLeague Women team:

G Seimone Augustus (Sparta&K) [17.6p, 4.5r, 1.9a] – Fifth leading scorer in the league, Augustus has been the best player on Sparta&K this season. Her shooting percentages (54% 2P, 42% 3P) are exceptional. She’s been clutch for the Vidnoje squad – this season she has made several game tying or winning shots in the final minutes of games. In general this hasn’t been a season for spectacular guard play so Augustus in the first team was a given even despite the subpar play from her team at times.

G Diana Taurasi (Galatasaray) [21.0p, 4.2r, 3.4a] – Taurasi was certainly worth the money Galatasaray threw at her. The only issue seems like there aren’t the right players around her in EuroLeague. Though individually there wasn’t anyone in the “Group of Death” who would be able to limit her. While I haven’t crunched the numbers yet, I am guessing her 40 from 80 three point shooting performance this season might have been one of the best ever in this competition.

F Angel McCoughtry (Fenerbahce) [18.2p, 5.8r, 2.6a] – The best player on the only EuroLeague Women undefeated team. Her numbers this season are closer to the ones she had on teams on which she had to do everything, instead of the ones she had last spring with Fenerbahce. All of that despite still having no outside shot to speak of. McCoughtry has been kind of a perfect fit for the rabid Fenerbahce fans – she’s emotional and feeds off them.

F Nicole Powell (Wisla Can-Pack) [15.9p, 6.4r, 1.6a] – This was a tossup between Powell and Taylor. Taylor had the edge in shooting from inside and assists while Powell was better from outside and rebounding. What tipped it over for Powell was improvement – this is her best EuroLeague season since 2006/07 with Halcon Avenida. Also Powell is the main offensive weapon for Wisla Can-Pack while Taylor at best is option 1B for Fenerbahce.

C Ann Wauters (Ros Casares) [15.3p, 8.4r, 1.6a] – Statistics would dictate that this spot goes to Tina Charles, but since this is alsno part subjective, Ann Wauters got the first squad nod. Wauters is coming of giving birth to a baby last summer, she’s the best player on the squad that has already four times beaten two Final Eight participants.

Second All-EuroLeague Women team:

G Sharnee Zoll (CCC Polkowice) [12.0p, 3.7r, 6.6a] – Zoll’s 6.64 assists per game this season ranks her fourth all time. She’s behind only two seasons by Dalma Ivanyi (7.5 in 2009, 6.9 in 2005) and one by Andja Jelavic (6.7 in 2010), though her assist to turnover ratio is better than in any one of those three seasons for Ivanyi and Jelavic. Zoll also scored more than Ivanyi in any of her two seasons. All of that while playing on a team that doesn’t have a player that ranked in the top 30 in scoring.

G Penny Taylor (Fenerbahce) [17.2p, 4.3r, 2.8a] – While traditionally a small forward, Taylor playing alongside Angel McCoughtry is essentially the shooting guard in that lineup. I actually didn’t think that Taylor and McCoughtry at the same time on the floor will work out as well as it is, but I’ve been proven wrong. It seems some of McCoughtry’s aggressiveness has rubbed off on Taylor with her being among the league leaders in fouls drawn and free throw attempts.

F DeWanna Bonner (Perfumerias Avenida) [19.3p, 9.6r, 1.2a] – A pretty ridiculous season number production wise. She would have probably made the first team, had Perfumerias Avenida made the Final Eight. If there was an All-Defensive team, she would certainly be on it, but not this year. But all-in-all you still get the feeling Bonner undeservedly flies under the radar, while that might not be the case in Salamanca or Madrid, in general she’s not as talked about as the likes of McCoughtry or Taurasi.

F Asjha Jones (Rivas Ecopolis) [17.4p, 8.6r, 0.8a] – Jones has had her best European season with Rivas Ecopolis this season. Jones has been the driving force for the best Rivas Ecopolis international season which they’ve already achieved. If Rivas are to upset anyone in the Final Eight it will be on the shoulders of Jones to achieve it.

C Tina Charles (Galatasaray) [18.5p, 8.6r, 1.4a] – To anyone doubting decision to play Charles over Fowles in EuroLeague Women – Fowles in her three seasons in ELW maxed out at 16.2 points per game. Charles gives them much more room to maneuver with tactics with her diverse offensive skills. She would have been the top ranked center had I not had a soft spot for Ann Wauters this season.

All-European EuroLeague Women team:

G Iva Ciglar (Uni Seat Gyor) [12.9p, 3.1r, 5.5a] – Ciglar has been a rare bright spot for both Gyor and Croatian NT who are thinking about the London Olympic basketball tournament.

G Eva Viteckova (ZVVZ USK Prague) [14.0p, 4.9r, 1.1a] – Savvy veteran had one of her better offensive seasons in EuroLeague Women.

F Laura Macchi (Famila Schio) [16.0p, 3.8r, 2.7a] – The same as Viteckova, at 32 she had her second best season.

F Endene Miyem (Bourges Basket) [12.2p, 5.5r, 1.7a] – While the obvious choice at this spot would have been Sandrine Gruda, I went of the track a bit with another deserving French power forward.

C Ewelina Kobryn (Wisla Can-Pack) [14.0p, 6.6r, 1.6a] – second best European center this season not named Ann Wauters.

All-Youth EuroLeague Women team:

G Katerina Elhotova (ZVVZ USK Prague) [10.6p, 1.8r, 1.4a] – Not much of an improvement for Elhotova this season, but that speaks to the lack of young guards in EuroLeague this season.

G Marta Xargay (Perfumerias Avenida) [6.0p, 3.0r, 2.7a] – With Torrens having left, Xargay had more playing time and her production continues it’s constant increase.

F Sonja Petrovic (Sparta&K) [8.9p, 5.2r, 1.4a] – As with Xargay, Petrovic has received more playing time and her production has adjusted accordingly.

F Farhiya Abdi (Frisco Brno) [8.2p, 5.8r, 0.7] – Young Swedish forward has really shown promise in her first season abroad. On top of that she’s still 19 for a couple of months.

C Natalia Vieru (Good Angels Kosice) [9.9p, 7.9r, 0.8a] – Personal favorite of the season which you should have noticed by now if you read any of my ELW round-ups/reviews.

Honorable mentions: Laura Nicholls (Rivas Ecopolis), Alena Hanusova (Frisco Brno), Magdalena Zietara (Lotos Gdynia)

Pepe Matanza

Where is the point guard in first team? or you count augustus as pg?
Iva Ciglar-you must be joking? There is at least 5 better PG’s from Europe…
On PF spot-why not bjelica? great season in team that is going to final 8, best european rebounder.
Than again, you dont have a PG in young european team…
- Jānis Kacēns
  
  It is the system used in All-WNBA teams – two guards, two forwards, one center.
  So Ciglar got there not just as a PG – her scoring was also taken in to count.
  I liked Bjelica better last season than this. I like Miyem better this season than last.
  - Pepe Matanza
    
    Last time I checked, ELW was the league of best teams in Europe, not in WNBA.
    Regarding Bjelica-her game is more “matured” this season than last.Also, she is playing in a team where there are much better player than in Gdynia last season so taking 12 and 8 per game is much harder in Wisla than in Gdynia.
    Regarding Ciglar-you know I wrote few times that I really respect your oppinion regarding women basketball but with this remark about her scoring, you dissapointed me a bit. I dont know if in your country, you are using also a word Playmaker for a Point guard? For me, player on PG spot who is ranked in top 10 by number of shoots is not a point guard. Also, people in Gyor should learn that assist is ONLY when your player make a basket. I remember one game she had 7 assists and 6 for when it was a foul.Or maybe those rules are changed?Same player as Babkina, short, wild and can play only on that low level of Euroleague.Im sure that Paul would pick Babkina if he was writting this review ;) If taking scoring in concideration, why not picking Lawson Wade? Even I dont like those short wild PG’s, she is much better choice than Ciglar(in my oppinion).I agree with Przemyslaw about Palau.
    As for Vieru,also I can agree she improved a lot but without coach who gave her a lot of playing time(and setting offenses for inside players) and PG she had (who was dishing her balls for easy lay-ups) would be very hard. Hope she will not go back to Spartak and be again just a roll player
    - Jānis Kacēns
      
      See, I don’t feel that way with Bjelica – she’s still very turnover prone. Last year she had the excuse of having Babkina and Wright as her guards so it was kind of excusable. This season she still continues to make bad decisions with the ball but this time it’s all on her.
      I don’t consider Ciglar a PG. She’s a combo guard, as is Babkina. I’m just not a fan of Palau and Vardarli this season, so I went off the beaten road and stuck with Ciglar.
      Re: Lawson-Wade – figuratively, she rubs me the wrong way.
      - Pepe Matanza
        
        Miyiem have 1 to less than Bjelica and 3 reb less.But Ok, we all like different kind of players.
        Regarding combo or pg, i prefer pure PG’s like Palau, Vardarli, Bojovic (I like Zoll a lot but here I speak about Europeans only).
        The fact is that Europe is “short” on real playmakers, most of really goods are 30+ years of age…Only Dominguez, Milkovic, Sotana and Bojovic are players that are under 25 and playing good rolls in their teams. So the future on that spot does not seem very bright from my perspective of view.
        Btw-if we speak about turnover prone players, isnt Ciglar the first on the list?
      - Michelle
        
        Tbh Fenerbahce wouldnt be unbeaten if they didnt have a PG like Vardarli. I watched almost every Fener game and almost every time that she left the floor, fener started to play chaotic resulting in a lot of turnovers. Vardarli would be 2nd behind Zoll among best PG’s this season. But your list looks pretty good.
        
        Bonner has been killing it :) And for 1st team i would go with Penny too instead of Powell. Their are so many weapons on Fener team but she still puts more pts then Powell and gives the team exactly what they need at the right time(scoring/rebounding or making plays for others) Not to mention her insane 65% 2P FG and 56.7 FG%. Imagine her numbers if she would take more shots then her average 10 shots a game :O
      - Pepe Matanza
        
        True about Vardarli.
        Penny-lets see how she will play vs Gala.Im getting the feeling that she choke in every game when she is playing vs Taurasi.Maybe a profe who is D man in D house ;)
      - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=637052005 Cynthia Piscatelli
        
        Pepe, Penne is not one to choke however I believe it’s deeper than that and if you recall they played together and this year they decided to play for different teams, you do the math
      - Pepe Matanza
        
        Did u saw any of the games between Gala and Fener this season?
        Penny is a great player,probably one of the best in the world just now but this is impression I got…
Bubica

I couldnt disagree more with your choice. I mean, did you watch the games this season?? What was yor criteria for making this teams??
- Jānis Kacēns
  
  I’d estimate I saw about 60-70 games this season. There’s no clear criteria like on sites like eurobasket.com that only use statistics. This is subjective combination of player’s individual performance on the floor as well as in numbers, past performances, other circumstances, like Wauters pregnancy. Since I somehow haven’t dragged Anete Jekabsone in an all tournament team I’d say I manage to put them together pretty unbiased.
  - Bubica
    
    What about circumstances that you not know about? Maybe some players have been through a lot of things privately, but still keep on playing good or even better basketball.. Although I agree with choice of Ann Wauters, in my opinion she is the leader in that team of ros, before pointguards. I, as a girl from europe, have to say that subjectively, you could put some more european players there:))) Has to say that choice of Iva Ciglar is quite ridicoulos for me.
Przemysław Wyrwa

Janis, come on… Picking Nicole over Penny as a reward for improvement? Would you pick Nicole over Penny if you could take one to your team? Really Nicole?

No disrespect for Powell, she’s great and a great fit in Wisła’s system, but no way – LWB’s minority’s report has to be done :)

As for Ciglar’s spot – I pick Laia Palau, who’s suprised me to be a vital cog in such loaded team as Valencia. Never been a fan of hers, but she doesn’t get below a certain level.

The rest is either acceptable or obvious. Additionally the MIP would go to Natalia Vieru if we give such prize.

@Pepe – There may be no PG, All-teams are pretty much always made of two any guards. Both Augustus and Taurasi deserve to be in the first team, but Zoll is definitely the 6th woman and should be the first to hop in to replace any of Dee/Mone if we stick straight to PG/SG/SF/PF/C deifinition of All-team.
- Jānis Kacēns
  
  Again if they are close I’ll always chose the player that has increased her performance instead of the one who’s playing at her level. Also a factor in choosing Powell over Taylor – Taylor would be a safe choice. I hate safe choices. I’d argue that Powell is playing even a better ball than in the 2009 WNBA season.
  - Bubica
    
    It is easier to increase performance, then to keep playing at same (very goog) level..
    - Pepe Matanza
      
      True!
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001360261106 Claire Lundy
  
  I totally agree to your post.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001360261106 Claire Lundy

Omg lol. Ok cheering for Turkish and Russian teams damaged your brain…. Bye bye, it’s enough.
- Jānis Kacēns
  
  What cheering? If I was a fan of Russian and Turkish teams how the hell was Parker/Vardarli/Gruda left off my teams?
  - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001360261106 Claire Lundy
    
    Iva Ciglar and Nicole Powell in your teams?… Ok you are right. It is totally impossible to argue here because you know better and reply with an arrogance which probably satisfy you. Stay satisfied. But really lmao…
    - Jānis Kacēns
      
      And what does that have to do with Turkey and Russia exactly? Ciglar is Croatian playing in Hungary, Powell is American playing in Poland. If staying by my decision is arrogance then so be it.
      - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001360261106 Claire Lundy
        
        You really want me to post all your comments about Russian and Turkish teams and your mocking about French, Spanish and others? Starting with the too weak pgs of Valencia compared to others? (probly Ciglar…) I already said it and you replied with a total arrogance that the tea
      - Jānis Kacēns
        
        Only French team I’ve mocked is Tarbes. Considering the season they’ve been having you can’t say it was undeserved. The same goes for Brno.
        Unless you consider critique mocking, I haven’t mocked no other Spanish and French teams. If you can’t stand critique then there’s nothing I can do about that.
      - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001360261106 Claire Lundy
        
        You spent your time mocking Ros Casares. I don’t really care but read it again… It was my last post and last reading of your glubibulga. I will make your ad, be sure of it.
      - Jānis Kacēns
        
        Seriously… How the hell am I mocking the team I consider the co-favorites to win it all? How? Where? When?
        Saying Europe’s best frontcourt can make the backcourt look good is mocking the team?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=824113999 Michele Masonheimer

I would hardly call these picks “unbiased” as you stated in one of your comments you specifically did not choose some players because do not like them. “I’m just not a fan of Palau and Vardarli this season, so I went off the beaten road and stuck with Ciglar.” That is why this is a blog site and not a news site. A news site looks past stats and personal bias and considers the overall impact a player has on a team; how a team performs when they are on the court versus how they perform when the player is off the court. Some of the most valuable traits of a player are not measured in numbers. To exclude a player like Laia Palau simply because you never cared for her shows how biased your choices are; especially given the impact she has on her teams performance when she is on the court. Your opinion is fine, but don’t call it unbiased.
- Jānis Kacēns
  
  Oh, for cryin’ out loud. The only player that I have ever been biased against is Cindy Lima. No one else.
  Saying I don’t like what I see from a couple of players this season doesn’t mean I’m biased against them. For instance I can’t give Palau a nod this season if only for the reason that she has to just give the ball to the most dominant frontcourt in Europe and they’ll do their dominating, not much worrying about getting the ball in right places when the players can make up for your errors and make you look good.
  The same goes to Vardarli – just throw the ball to McCoughtry on fast break and she’ll get you the assist.
  - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001360261106 Claire Lundy
    
    At least you said that Palau was not worrying to put the ball in right places and others were making up her errors. So yes it is not biased just real truth. I suddenly understand. Last time I come here. Try to give real news and not your biased opinion which is not sooo interesting. BTW contrarily of what you may thing, I’m French and behind French teams.
  - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=824113999 Michele Masonheimer
    
    Yes, you’re right…any douch with two arms can pass a ball through traffic exactly where it needs to be while running down court, dodging opposing players, watching the shot clock and making sure neither the ball nor the player she is passing to goes farther than they needs to go to make the shot while watching the defensive players to make sure they shot won’t be blocked. I’m sorry how silly of me to think that requires any sort of skill. And forget about defensive ability since players don’t really attempt to actually block shots, steal the ball or prevent passes from connecting. We wouldn’t want to consider a silly thing like that. Any fool can call a play, run the play, make adjustments to the play when the defense attacks and draw the defense to open up her teammates then have the court awareness to pass the ball to the open player. That’s why point guards are are a dime a dozen, right? Your comments were in your own words, full of bias; I didn’t make up the things you said I mere pointed out their truth. But we won’t be bothered with a silly thing like that. I have a feeling if you asked the other players on their team they would have a vastly different idea of the importance of Palau (captain of Ros Casares I might add)and Vardarli. But I’m just a former player from America so what would I know. Obviously you know best. Seriously, it’s fine to have an opinion and express your opinion on your blog but never say it’s unbiased.
    - Jānis Kacēns
      
      Ugh, hate these arguments being taken too far.
      
      I get it, you like Palau. I like her, too, in fact she would be my second favorite/most respected/liked/whatever you want to call it, European PG behind Dumerc.
      
      That doesn’t mean I can’t subjectively grade her with a lesser level of difficulty than the rest of the guards playing in Europe. That was all I did in coming up with these all-tournament teams – I wrote down pros and cons of each player I considered this season, added comparing numbers and came up with this.
      
      This wasn’t done to show off some absolute truth, I just wanted to spur a discussion about European basketball. Although there is a discussion this wasn’t what I had hoped for. I hoped people would be sharing their teams or some ranks based on this season, instead all of this grew in to attacks on my opinions which forced me to defend them, I admit, rather clumsily.
      
      I see a lot of subjectivity in what I did but I honestly don’t see this as biased.
      - Pepe Matanza
        
        This discussion went good…finally more than 2 comments :)
        Janis had one point good: its easier for Vardarli to make assist than to Ciglar. Because Vardarli is playing with better players.On the other hand, how she can score when u have 4 starts beside her-they need 2 balls to play.One for Angel and one for rest of the team.
        As for Palau, she is a hell of a player.
        But we will all agree that if you are the coach of the opposite team, Palau or Vardarli are not the players that you would concider as the main treat. Players that are infulancing the game the most.
        And there were 3 PG’s that in my oppinion, were the key memeber of their teams.If you guess who, I send you bottle of vodka to relax :)) and to make it easier, one of them IS NOT Ciglar ;)
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=824113999 Michele Masonheimer

I was never attacking your choices; I agree with many of them. Just pointing out yours were not unbiased choices since the very definition of bias is “subjective preferences”. Every opinion anyone gives is always with their own personal bias behind it. That doesn’t make it wrong it just makes it an opinion. And yes, I am a fan of Laia. In fact, she’s been one of my closest friends for years. But I will be the first to tell her or anyone else she’s not playing well. The last thing she accepts is smoke being blown up her rear just because we are friends so my comments have not been a reflection of our friendship. However, she is having a fantastic season dispite a mid-season injury that kept her out for several games; not her best season ever but a really great one. The fact that other’s have stated the same thing gives my assessment some merit. I will admit, my previous comment was in defense of good players that did not deserve to be casually dismissed or their position trivialized they you did. Irregardless of your opinion of their play, I know first hand how hard they work and they deserve much more respect than that. Anyway, last thing I’m going to say about all this.
boldi20

Pepe Matanza!

I think Ciglar is key player of Uni Seat Győr. I agree with Jānis Kacēns, in this season she played well, she was one of the assist leader. Ciglar is not a bad choice.
Edward Kane

Real slap in the face to Edwige Lawson-Wade of BLMA. She was the best point guard in Euroleague this past season and has the resume of any point guard still playing
http://twitter.com/TaylorIbrahim Ibrahim_Korkmaz

HAHAHAHA ARE YOU SERIOUS? PENNY TAYLOR IN THE SECOND TEAM? LOOK TO FENERBAHCE TEAM NOW! THE UNDEFEATED TEAM IN THE ELW HAS IN THE GROUPS NOW 3 LOSTS AND POWELL IS SUCH AN BAD PLAYER! PENNY IS BETTER THAN ANGEL OR POWELL OR AUGUSTUS.