Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Almeria 1 win(s) Luis Suárez is the competition's top scorer (23) Have scored 1 goals in their last 5 matches Álvaro Giménez has the most shots on target per match for Racing de Ferrol (0.8) Josué Dorrio has created the most big chances for Racing de Ferrol (4) 29 Apr 2025 18:30:00 GMT?Almeria won 2–1 over Racing de Ferrol on Tue 29 Apr 2025 18:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches Almeria is playing home against Racing de Ferrol at UD Almería Stadium on Tue presided over a double ceremony in which the keel of the F112 was laid and the first steel of the F113 was cut Navantia’s shipyard in Ferrol (A Coruña) hosted a double ceremony on April 25 in which the construction of the F113 frigate, the third ship of the F110 series, began, and the keel of the F112 frigate was laid. Both milestones, presided over by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, demonstrate the progress of the F110 program, the series of five new-generation frigates that Navantia is building for the Spanish Navy and which is progressing months ahead of the scheduled timeline. The F113 frigate, that will be named ‚Menéndez de Avilés‘, has begun its construction in a robotic welding cell, an R&D industrial development of the shipyard’s Innovation and Robotics Center, aimed at digital transformation and process automation. This development will automate the construction of certain components using techniques such as artificial vision and flexible programming, saving manufacturing time and improving welding quality. The construction of the F113 began three months ahead of the scheduled timeline. As well, Navantia is developing a new Digital Block Factory, which will be fully working in 2026, and will be debuting with blocks for the F-113 frigate. Next, the keel of the F112 frigate ‚Roger de Lauria,‘ the second of the program, was laid. The block placed is the 212 on which the rest of the ship will grow, to be launched in 2026. With this milestone, celebrated seven months ahead of the scheduled timeline, the F112 ‚leaves‘ the workshop and begins its construction in the slipway. The keel of the F112 was placed next to the first of the series, the F111 ‚Ramon Bonifaz‘, in slipway 2, with a block assembly progress of over 85% and preparing for its launch in the coming months. Today’s celebration of the start of construction of the F113 frigate and the laying of the keel of the F112 is carried out 3 and 7 months ahead of the agreed schedule with the Ministry of Defense, confirming the good progress of the F110 program. Five ships plus a digital twinThe F110 frigate program, whose execution order was signed in 2019, includes the construction of five units worth 4.325 million euros. These are versatile escort ships, with anti-aircraft, anti-surface, and anti-submarine capabilities, able to operate in combination with other units. They are versatile ships that can also perform functions related to maritime security and support to civil authorities. The F110 is a qualitative leap in terms of the Navy’s capabilities and the industrial and technological potential of Navantia and its entire collaborating industry. It thus contributes to Spain’s strategic autonomy and to having a leading industrial and technological base, while opening new export opportunities. Volker Schwichtenberg – CEOUta Schwichtenberg – CEO und Rechtsanwältin Christine-Demmer-Straße 753474 Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, GermanyPhone: +49 2641 3703-0Fax: +49 2641 3703-199info@moench-group.com FERROL (Spain) - Villeneuve d'Ascq LM came out on top against BAXI Ferrol in a classic EuroCup Women Finals first leg matchup as they won a roller-coaster encounter 78-75 on the road. Played out in front of a sold out and passionate home crowd, Villeneuve kept their cool under pressure to take a precious three-point advantage into the second meeting next week. The victory came thanks mainly to the brilliance of 20-year-old guard Carla Leite. The French club are chasing a second title, while rookies Ferrol are still dreaming of landing a first ever piece of silverware. The second leg of the Final will take place on Wednesday, April 01 at 20.30 CET. After some sharp-shooting early from the visitors, Ferrol could have found their hopes hanging by a thread had they not responded to being 40-28 behind with a blistering 16-2 run to give them the lead at half-time. While they were still squeezed out by their rivals, they're still very much in the tie and avoided what had looked at one stage to be a potentially worrying blowout. Leite lit it up as usual for Villeneuve, with the young guard pouring in 25 points after going 9 of 11 from the field. She also handed out 5 assists for good measure. Angela Mataix impressed for Ferrol in defeat with 17 points, as did Claire Melia with 12 points and 6 assists. While Villeneuve were unstoppable from downtown in the early stages, it was a massive 40 points in the paint that founded their victory - along with 24 points off the bench compared to just 9 for Ferrol. "I don’t think it will hit until after we finish the season, exactly what our team has done. It's a great achievement by such a small club. "The main thing that jumps out to me, is that we have had people step up at different times in every game when we needed it. It’s a full team effort throughout the whole journey. "We go out and enjoy playing. We take it all in and try our best each time. Our coach Lino [Lopez] always says to go out and enjoy it. It’s important to do that and take in these moments as they don't come around often." "She is a hard worker and leaves it all on the court. She is a really enjoyable player to watch play and play alongside." For everyone connected with Ferrol, completing the full fairytale would indeed be sensational and if it does happen, then there would be an added dimension for Melia. She is the leading light for the Ireland national team – something she underlined impressively in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. If she does take a winners' medal, Melia will become the first Irish champion of a women's European title. MUNICH (Germany) - Surprise package BAXI Ferrol showed no signs of slowing down in their pursuit of EuroCup Women silverware in their first ever season after jumping all over LDLC ASVEL Feminin in the first leg of their Semi-Finals matchup there was better news for French basketball as Villeneuve d'Ascq LM grabbed a handy seven point advantage against Sopron Basket for next weeks second meeting The second leg games will take place next week on Thursday ASVEL have come from behind in many games this season but it will take something seriously special to take down Ferrol after the Spanish rookies produced their best display of the season to claim a stunning 93-62 first leg triumph In one of the biggest shocks in memory in terms of the size of victory the newcomers will feel they already have one foot in the Final Ireland national team powerhouse Claire Melia had her best game of the campaign and that paced the win She recorded 27 points and was supported by Blanca Millan with 18 points ASVEL had Dominique Malonga and Dayshanette Harris scoring 17 and 15 points respectively but the team shot poorly from long-range making just 4 of 25 attempts They may have had a slow start on the road in Hungary, but Villeneuve d'Ascq LM were cooking by the last quarter as a late surge handed them a precious 73-66 first leg victory. A seven point lead and home court advantage will make them favorites to now finish the job and make the Final. Inflicting only a second home loss of the campaign on Sopron, the visitors showed their teeth defensively and inside, shooting a super 63 percent from two-point range. Experienced campaigner Shavonte Zellous produced another all-action effort with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while fellow veteran Jelena Brooks just about kept Sopron in the tie with 18 points and 6 steals. Now Ferrol will look to further underline this incredible track record of opportunity, while Villeneuve try to add to the title that they proudly won in 2015. Played over two legs, Ferrol will have home advantage first on Wednesday March 26 at 20:00 CET, with the return game taking place a week later in Villeneuve on Wednesday April 2 at 20:30 CET. Mataix leads her team in scoring and assists, so can expect a lot of defensive attention from Villeneuve. She may be ready to guard Leite, the French rising star who has continued to build her reputation as one of the best young players in Europe. She is also adept at putting points on the board in a flash and is averaging almost 17.0 points per outing, so if she gets rolling, she will be tough to slow down X-factor: There is barely anything to separate these two teams when it comes to the numbers. You can pour over every statistical category and there is hardly anything between them both - suggesting this could be an epic Finals lying in wait.There's only one standout area and that is the bench power that Ferrol can lean on. They average a super near 30 points per game from that source, which is 9 points more than Villeneuve usually get. Did you know? Shavonte Zellous is the only player in the Finals to have previously won a European trophy. The 38-year-old was crowned EuroLeague Women champion in 2014 when featuring for Turkish giants, Galatasaray. MUNICH (Germany) - It was a landmark night for Villeneuve d'Ascq LM as they made the EuroCup Women Final for a third time with a win-double against Sopron Basket while this season's newcomers BAXI Ferrol took a Final ticket at their first attempt This season's rookies eliminated EuroCup Women frontrunners LDLC ASVEL Feminin despite a loss on French soil advancing courtesy of last week's huge home victory The Finals will take place across two legs and will be played on Wednesday Having won on their road trip to Hungary last week in the first leg of the Semi-Final, Villeneuve d'Ascq LM finished the job in the second meeting with a hard-fought 54-46 triumph that handed them a 127-112 aggregate win they kept their opponents at arms' length and were again grateful to another impressive effort from Aminata Gueye The forward came to the party again and finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds while young Carla Leite continued to enhance her growing reputation with a 15-point haul ASVEL completed a 74-63 second leg Semi-Finals success against Ferrol after a dominant display from teenage sensation Dominique Malonga, but still exited the competition 156-136 on aggregate. Losing the first leg by an eye-popping 31 points, it always looked like a mountain for the French side and so it proved. That was despite Malonga finishing the contest with a big double-double of 22 points and 18 rebounds, as well as Laura Quevedo harvesting 23 points and 10 boards. Ferrol were fuelled by Claire Melia and Blanca Millan again, with the duo sharing 26 points and making sure their team kept rolling and didn't reach the danger zone of giving up a huge first leg advantage. VILLENEUVE D'ASCQ (France) - Villeneuve d'Ascq LM are celebrating a second EuroCup Women crown after they made home advantage pay with an 84-70 second leg Finals success against Spanish underdogs BAXI Ferrol Holding a modest three-point advantage from a thrilling first matchup on Spanish soil Villeneuve proved too good on the night as they finished the job in style for a 17-point aggregate triumph It also marked the end of a truly remarkable rookie season for Ferrol who having had to come through the Qualifiers can reflect with pride on having taken an unlikely Finals spot The second quarter was when the hosts turned a hill into more of a mountain for Ferrol A Marie-Eve Paget triple put Villeneuve 32-20 ahead and 15 on aggregate Ferrol's problems were soon compounded further by the influential Claire Melia picking up her third foul Then when home favorite Shavonte Zellous drained a downtown score on the half-time buzzer it always looked a long way back - and so it proved Zellous used all of her experience to terrific effect and got Villeneuve off to a lightning start she eventually harvested 23 points and that came alongside 16 points and 7 assists for young gun Carla Leite who was named MVP Julie Pospisilova impressed in defeat with 19 points Villeneuve played with tremendous control when they had the ball and particularly in the context of this being a game to win EuroCup Women they only turned the ball over 11 times and combined with 25 points off the bench compared to 8 for Ferrol Bottom LineVilleneuve simply had far too much on the night for Ferrol and they used their superior physicality brilliantly to wear down their opponents Massive credit must go to playcaller Maxim Bezine who had to pick up the coaching reins mid-season from the departed Rachid Meziane His team rode their luck at times through this campaign but they showed a lot of heart and nice basketball to deliver a wonderful and memorable success - built around that brilliant backcourt partnership of Leite and Zellous and plenty of muscle in the paint What a ride it has been for Ferrol and while ultimately left empty-handed and disappointed to have fallen at the very last hurdle few if anybody could have ever envisaged them making it to the last game of the season and fighting for silverware Coach Lino Lopez and his players have all punched way above their weight in a fabulous Cinderella story their fans have also left a lasting impression after incredible support in the Finals BallinEurope’s Emmet Ryan is on site in Ferrol for this week’s Eurocup Women final between Baxi Ferrol and Villeneuve d’Ascq where his main focus has obviously been on Claire Melia he took in the town and what this occasion means to it in between the two legs of the FIBA Eurocup Women final Ferrol is coming out to support Claire Melia and she Since her mother and grandmother passed away Melia has held an annual event to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day the Baxi Ferrol star won’t be in Ireland this weekend she’s bringing the campaign to this second home of hers She will still raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society but now in Ferrol The whole city is aware and is ready to show up my focus was on Baxi Ferrol and Claire Melia I learned so much about the community and the spirit of basketball in the city of of the famous Claires Gang and longtime fan of Racing Ferrol another longtime personality within the football club In one of the oldest European stories possible it was a Lithuanian who brought basketball to Ferrol the great Bazan Ferrol team was born that competed for the old version of the Spanish championship the shipyard work of the players was deemed too important to play basketball full time in a tale as old as time in European basketball Ferrol was the home of basketball in Galicia yet without a core to focus on Raúl Villares Villar told me about the extraordinary basketball history of Ferrol as well as the city’s extraordinary history beyond the hardwood the importance of what Baxi Ferrol means to the city resonated with me Claire Melia is helping raise the spirits of a city with a great history it makes sense that they defended so well against Asvel in A Malata a few weeks ago when you consider the context the British navy was known for ruling the waves They also had a really good win-loss record against Spain The home advantage of the harbour served the locals well as they repelled the British advance convincingly It is also home to the wonderful architecture of Rodolfo Ucha with his simple yet beautiful designs filling the streets in the heart of the town It’s easy for a basketball journalist to think of the offensive mindset of Baxi Ferrol when looking at these structures Rachael Vanderwal spent a large chunk of her playing career in Ireland The 2012 Olympian with Team GB remembers her time playing with Baxi Ferrol fondly all the fans got behind the team and every game they packed the arena Vanderwal also had kind words for Lino Lopez the longtime coach and local boy who will be on the sideline on Wednesday night “Lino was one of the best coaches I have ever played for but also one of the best human beings He really cares about his players and always has their backs no matter what He instilled so much confidence in me and allowed me to play so freely,” she said “I had so much fun playing basketball under him One of the most enjoyable seasons I had while playing professionally and probably my best personally.” somewhat links the Irish-Canadian connection with Ferrol one other player with an Irish passport played for the Eurocup Women finalists Devon Ashleigh Campbell holds an Irish passport and once played for the Galician side BallinEurope has a book, a real life actual book called I Like it Loud, and you can buy it on Amazon now. It’s here as a book and here in Kindle form It’s very easy to see why Claire Melia has fallen in love with this city The community has come together for Baxi Ferrol A stroll on Tuesday morning and one of the local fashion/gift shops had also converted into a Baxi Ferrol fan shop was the jersey they wear that pays tribute to OAR Ferrol As I went on a mini-pub crawl in the evening The man himself said he was closed tomorrow as he stood behind a bar bedecked with Baxi Ferrol colours hopes Claire Melia will stay in Ferrol for many seasons to come Alex told me that this team has put Ferrol on the map where a woman from Monasterevin has a fan club The fans at Copa de la Reina cheered for Baxi Ferrol even though they weren’t playing a lovely part of the world in its own right and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Notice: It seems you have Javascript disabled in your Browser please copy this code and paste it along with your comment: d5a6481e154e67d5678527c699d3504c Email: emmetryan@gmail.com The current head to head record for the teams are Racing de Ferrol 0 win(s) Haven't scored in their last 7 matches Have scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Marc Mateu has created the most big chances for Eldense (8) Juanto Ortuno has the most shots on target per match for Eldense (1.5) 19 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT?Racing de Ferrol won 1–0 over Eldense on Sat 19 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 0 goals in their last 5 matches Racing de Ferrol is playing home against Eldense at Estadio Municipal de A Malata on Sat MUNICH (Germany) - The 2024-25 EuroCup Women Finals are now set after BAXI Ferrol and Villeneuve d'Ascq LM both moved a step closer to being crowned champions It will be a battle of the debutantes against the former winners as Spanish first-timers Ferrol will meet 2015 champions Villeneuve in the two-legged Finals Ferrol continued their fairytale run in the competition by knocking out 2023 title winners LDLC ASVEL Feminin as they set up a 156-136 aggregate victory with a dominant 31-point win at home - despite a second leg loss Villeneuve - who were runners-up in EuroLeague Women last season - had to fend off strong opposition of their own as they overcame Sopron Basket for a 127-112 triumph across the two legs Ferrol aim to become just the second Spanish team to win the competition with the chance of emulating the feat of Valencia Basket There have been two clubs that have lifted the title on more than one occasion - Dynamo Moscow and Galatasaray - and Villeneuve have the opportunity to add their name to the exclusive club whilst potentially making it three French winners in the past four editions The first leg of the Finals is set to take place in Ferrol with the return fixture held in Villeneuve d'Ascq ShareEuroCup Women Baxi Ferrol have brought their Cinderella story to the final of Eurocup Women Monasterevin’s Claire Melia has become the first Irish women to reach a major club final in basketball I needed to make sure I kept enough to write this column Decades of sport convincing you that hope is foolish does that to you Then Baxi Ferrol go and do the unthinkable they’ve reached the final of Eurocup Women Claire Melia has become the first Irish woman to make a major European basketball final The plan from the off was to not give Claire Melia any space whatsoever In the paint she was routinely double-teamed three Asvel players surrounding the Monasterevin woman was a common sight It was a radical tactic and a smart one but it had an impact on the first quarter The whole of the 40 minutes matter in basketball and the opening frame was important Such was Asvel’s defensive focus early that they essentially sacrificed their offensive game The French side needed time to implement its system Baxi Ferrol were able to more than live with the French side early on The 22-20 lead on the night at the end of the first quarter proved telling that gave them a 33 point lead in the race to the Eurocup Women final The ludicrous efficiency delivered by Claire Melia last week was too much to ask for a repeat performance The physicality of the Asvel side however enabled her to find other ways to contribute significantly and 4 assists on the night for Baxi Ferrol She also took one nasty swipe that left her bleeding the boxscore doesn’t show how many fouls she drew That is the most underrated statistic in basketball she shot 3 of 5 from the line to get something for her troubles especially one of the level of Eurocup Women That’s what it took from the Ferrol players in France on Thursday night Anyone who saw the game knows that I’m not referring to the blood there was a stage in the third quarter where Asvel pulled the aggregate deficit back to 12 points Given there were roughly 12 minutes left and this is a side that has previously won Eurocup Women Much as conventional wisdom would argue against standing and trading punches while defending a lead that’s the proverbial option the Galician side chose The threes got traded and traded until that buzzer beater Gala Mestres from nearer halfway than the arc put it up and boom The workload for Asvel entering the fourth suddenly got a lot tougher and now Baxi Ferrol could box clever As Al Michaels famously said “Do you believe in miracles?” Baxi Ferrol have reached their first ever major final and they’ve done it the hard way Having entered Eurocup Women at the qualifying stage of the competition they’re now going to host the first leg on 26 March Ireland and Ferrol are tied together in basketball for eternity as a result I can assure you all that the entirety of my Galician is the word Imos BiE is on this journey and you better believe we’ll be covering it in person The second leg in France is on my birthday please copy this code and paste it along with your comment: f2e66b04f2f5b24f6d7edb5b7f54dbc4 Spar Girona bounced back from a 12-point first leg loss in Pecs to beat NKA Universitas and reach the last eight, with BLMA also coming back to beat Rutronik Stars Keltern and move to the next phase. BAXI Ferrol could only have dreamed they would not only come through this season's Qualifiers but ride into this season's Quarter-Finals. Yet this is what happened after they followed up a 5-point win in the first game by clawing a 60-60 draw at DVTK HUNTHERM with a remarkable comeback from 21 points down. BLMA kept their cool to come back from a 6-point defeat at Rutronik Stars Keltern to ride past their opponents 63-45 in the return game and move safely into the Quarter-Finals. The victory was founded on 10 points and 10 rebounds from Dulcy Fankam, plus 17 points from Nell Angloma. Villeneuve d'Ascq LM fans are unlikely to forget their team's 108-90 triple overtime win against a devastated Movistar Estudiantes for quite some time. Down by 10 points from the first meeting, they were up by 10 points at the end of regulation, the end of the first overtime period and also the second overtime period. By the time the third overtime came, they made their move and finally outlasted their opponents. Carla Leite was a difference-maker with a super 28 points - as was fellow guard Shavonte Zellous. LDLC ASVEL Feminin produced arguably their best performance of the campaign to blast their way past a star-studded and shocked Galatasaray 87-56 in an eye-catching team effort. Dominque Malonga looked unstoppable at times as they made the Quarter-Finals off the back of her 18 points and 14 boards. There was also a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds from Laura Quevedo, while Dayshanette Harris excelled again with 16 points and 5 assists. Sopron Basket completed a win-double against Hungarian rivals Uni Gyor, following up their first-leg victory on the road with an 80-62 triumph on their home floor. A 20-point contribution from Tijana Krivacevic was the standout display. BDS Dinamo Sassari registered another double-digit win against IDK Euskotren and it was Sparkle Taylor who showed out again. She netted 27 points in an 83-71 win for the Italian side who are in the Quarter-Finals having started the season in the Qualifiers. Debora Carangelo also shone brightly with 16 points and 10 assists. The current head to head record for the teams are Elche 0 win(s) Have kept the most clean sheets in the competition (14) Have scored 0 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't scored in their last 5 matches 07 Apr 2025 18:30:00 GMT?Elche won 1–0 over Racing de Ferrol on Mon 07 Apr 2025 18:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches Elche is playing home against Racing de Ferrol at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero on Mon A sensational last 38-19 period for Ferrol put them onto the front foot against BDS Dinamo Sassari as they racked up a stellar 95-76 success There had been little suggestion either of these clubs who had to both come through the Qualifiers But out of nowhere and fuelled by an eventual 22 points 6 rebounds and 5 assists from Noa Morro who shot 75 percent from the field MVP for January Angela Mataix continued her rich vein of form with 19 points Young guard Carla Leite underlined her potential once again with another dazzling display for Villeneuve d'Ascq as her 28-point show paced her team's eye-catching 91-72 win at Besiktas JK it put the visitors in the driving seat and they stayed there for the remainder of the contest With Aminata Gueye bringing the noise in the paint with a powerful double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds Only Holly Winterburn with 24 points and Elif Bayram with 12 points and 12 boards found any kind of form Montenegro national team forward Natasha Mack was a colossus for Spar Girona as they came out on top 77-72 in a wonderful roller-coaster game against LDLC ASVEL Feminin 13 rebounds and a spectacular 6 blocks was the pivotal contribution in an absorbing game but their French opponents not only wiped out that lead with a brilliant rescue mission but even took the lead in the later stages But the final punch was landed by Girona who scored the last 5 points of the contest Teenage duo Juste Jocyte and Dominique Malonga excelled for ASVEL as they recorded 21 and 23 points with the latter also claiming a double-double after hauling down 10 rebounds It's turning into a memorable season for Sopron after they sailed past BLMA on home soil with a fabulous 81-54 victory that sees them take a major step in the direction of the Semi-Finals The Hungarian side erupted in the second period 27-16 and were in the box-seat from that point onwards BLMA couldn't handle their aggressive approach ball movement and incredible three-point shooting They made a staggering 14 shots from downtown with Zala Friskovec top-scoring after sinking 19 points and knocking down five of those triples Meanwhile Stephanie Reid caught the eye with an excellent 13 points and 12 assists ShareEuroCup Women The game intense and the battle was enrapturing Emmet Ryan on a memorable night in Galicia as Claire Melia and Baxi Ferrol kept hope alive despite losing the first leg of their Eurocup Women final to Villeneuve d’Ascq Will all respect to the wonderful people at Unicaja Malaga that provided a wonderful game of basketball against Real Madrid on Sunday For two weeks Irish basketball and the whole of Spanish basketball have been united waiting for this Baxi Ferrol more than held their own in a dramatic first leg of Eurocup Women final against Villeneuve d’Ascq The fan zone opened a full three hours before tip the redhead wig wearing Claire Melia fan club were amongst the first to arrive Carolina from Ferrol 360 noted how this game had far more media than the norm for a Baxi Ferrol game the Eurocup Women final was being played in an “old school gym” as Raúl Villares Villar described it Cameras from stations national and regional were on site Baxi Ferrol was just the third Spanish side to reach this final The nation’s basketball fans were beside the shipyard town The Galicians, of course, had managed to get here at the first attempt. Their story is well-known to regular visitors to this site by now The only question was how the ball would end The one common concern among locals in the build up to the Eurocup Women final was that few of the players were familiar with a game of this importance Their fears proved well-founded in the first quarter Villeneuve d’Ascq made everything work both inside and out A barrage of threes coupled with some excellent iso play in the post rattled the hosts kept the battle going through her first stint A nice finish inside for her team’s first score coupled with a three kept Baxi Ferrol in touch The most vital moment however came as Melia sat With the seconds ticking down towards the end of the quarter Julie Pospisilova made a vital three to leave the score in a manageable position Villeneuve d’Ascq probably didn’t expect a history lesson in the Eurocup Women final That’s exactly what they got in the second quarter of this basketball game The re-introduction of Claire Melia steeled the defence of Baxi Ferrol The Galicians made life a nightmare for opponents looking to score in the paint Through the opening minutes of that frame however the home side struggled to make their shots land An unselfish move by Melia on a fast break changed the momentum She neatly stopped to put Angela Mataix in position to finish The Monasterevin woman followed up with a three before feeding Julie Pospisilova for a three of her own to given Baxi Ferrol a 44-42 lead at the half Carla Leite was a force of nature in the third quarter for Villeneuve d’Ascq The French side showed the pedigree of previous winners of Eurocup Women to open the second half Baxi Ferrol managed to keep primary control of the tempo but it was clear that the visitors were becoming more comfortable Carla Mestres hit a couple of crucial threes early in the third to ensure Ferrol stayed in touch The full 40 minutes of a basketball game matter even if we often only remember the dramatic endings Those early scores from Mestres ensured the hot start from Villeneuve d’Ascq was tempered It took grit and guile for Baxi Ferrol to stay within touching distance to close the third Lino Lopez would have been relieved his charges only trailed by a possession entering the final 10 minutes The Baxi Ferrol fans were extraordinary throughout the first leg of the Eurocup Women final The lead for Villeneuve d’Ascq stretched to 7 points That’s not a lot but it’s the point where things tend to teeter Baxi Ferrol gave Claire Melia the minimum possible rest and sent her back into battle What we got was a gloriously bruising back and forth between both sides This was the type of clash worthy of a Eurocup Women final Basketball is a game of skill but also one of toughness Baxi Ferrol however travel to Lille with hope All the pressure in on the French side and the Galicians are used to some explosive performances on the road please copy this code and paste it along with your comment: c02336cfa347383ecde8fadc74b8b90d This is meant to be a neutral basketball outlet but how could it be on this night with Monasterevin and Ireland’s Claire Melia took the court in search of a dream Emmet Ryan was there to witness their battle with Villeneuve d’Ascq in the second leg of the Eurocup Women final The important thing is to get the chance to dream at all The final hurdle of Eurocup Women was one leap too far for Baxi Ferrol they proved they belong amongst the best in the sport supplemented by around 30 people that made the trip from Ireland on Wednesday morning A few beers in a loud bar before a necessary good night’s sleep A slot before breakfast on Morning Ireland just the 4 places to send reports of some sort (including this wonderful site) Eurocup Women was unknown to Ireland until a couple of weeks ago People are probably still struggling to remember Villeneuve d’Ascq’s name to be honest The fight in the Baxi Ferrol players was obvious but so too were the nerves early on they quickly fell behind in the Eurocup Women final Villeneuve d’Ascq came out with thunderous force Ferrol had it cut back to a 3 point deficit early in the second quarter the physicality and experience of the French side was beginning to show Basketball’s Cinderella couldn’t keep pace and trailed by 12 at the break Even as Villeneuve d’Ascq padded their lead in the third quarter effectively putting the title out of reach There was no fairytale ending for Baxi Ferrol What they have done here this season is simply incredible That it took a final against the team that finished second in Euroleague Women last season to end the dream is a testament to their resolve one Irish journalist has fallen in love with a small city in Galicia are so grateful to have been a part of this story fought with you and took down some giants of European basketball This may not have been Ferrol’s night but the memories of this magical journey will live forever please copy this code and paste it along with your comment: 348cf86667f34e9875f58b2adc4eef11 First TeamUD Almería vs Racing Club Ferrol will be played this Tuesday at 8:30pm The RFEF's Sole Judge for Professional Competitions has granted the request of the two clubs and LaLiga, after having to be postponed last Monday due to the consequences of the blackout The current head to head record for the teams are Racing de Ferrol 1 win(s) Eneko Jauregi has the most shots on target per match for Racing de Ferrol (0.8) Have scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches Jacobo González has created the most big chances for Cordoba (8) Jacobo González has the most shots on target per match for Cordoba (1.2) 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT?Cordoba won 1–0 over Racing de Ferrol on Sat 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 3 goals in their last 5 matches Racing de Ferrol is playing home against Cordoba at Estadio Municipal de A Malata on Sat town in Galicia yet it has become the focal point for Irish basketball Claire Melia and her amazing run with Baxi Ferrol in Eurocup Women will have a lengthy impact on the sport here no matter what comes next Ireland isn’t really known for its basketball heritage that’s what Irish basketball has to deal with across the board There’s a strong player base but that’s only part of the process in developing top tier talent Having shining beacons of success to point to really helps Everyone in Irish basketball knew that Claire Melia was really good before this season Few people in either camp were at the local primary school confirmation ceremonies in Monasterevin this past Saturday The reason being that it was the talk of the town when she went there As I’ve previously mentioned, this run in Eurocup Women for Baxi Ferrol is like Cinderella brought a sledgehammer to the ball. Lino Lopez had tried to recruit Claire Melia before this season he still had to prove it was worth backing an Irish basketball player Baxi Ferrol have since recorded a win over Galatasaray winners of Euroleague Women in 2014 and two time Eurocup Women champions they took out the top overall seed in Hun-Therm The Dinamo Sassari side they dispatched in the quarter finals are used to going deep in European competition The Sardinians were no match for the debutants of Baxi Ferrol Asvel have two French league titles and won Eurocup Women in 2023 They also have two players likely to be drafted in the WNBA in the form of Dominique Malonga and Juste Jocyte it was a hammering with Claire Melia to the fore who are reigning EuroBasket Women champions already had their breakthrough moments they needed These came in the multiple outings by Emma Messeman in particular pointing the way for other young Belgian ballers Pat Burke is the easy comparison to make here came when watching continental basketball was impossible outside of going in-person for Irish people Claire Melia is a star for Baxi Ferrol and people in Ireland can watch them who played almost all her basketball in the Irish system That’s relatable for young people here and the future of the sport Claire Melia’s game last Thursday is something to point at and aspire to It’s much the same as hundreds of youngsters from Mayo showed up at the Ireland international against Latvia in February Hazel Finn is from Mayo and there she was playing in a EuroBasket qualifier Kids in Mayo could relate to what she was doing and seek to match it The immediate future for Baxi Ferrol is that an awful lot of Irish basketball fans will be tuning in on Thursday A 31 point lead is far from a certainty in aggregate play those fingers will go to YouTube and click because Claire Melia is playing I’m going to have to rearrange my budget for the month (the joys of self-employment) and book some flights The virtue of self-employment is that I can do my job from near anywhere There will still be travel plans plus accreditations to sort Last Thursday was big but every step from here is bigger You grow a sport by creating stars and moments The stars bring relatability and the moments are what you aspire to match or surpass It’s a virtuous circle so long as you keep feeding the machine Those were wild dreams for Baxi Ferrol this past August for the town of Ferrol and the basketball community in Ireland please copy this code and paste it along with your comment: fd9054d18867674fec4f925a43c7778c There were also wins against higher seeded teams for NKA Universitas Pecs, Rutronik Stars Keltern and Sopron Basket. Galatasaray come back from double-digit arrears to take a slender 5-point lead to ASVEL. BAXI Ferrol beat number one ranked DVTK after incredible show from Angela Maitix; Estudiantes onto front foot against former EuroLeague Women competitors Villeneuve. Galatasaray responded to a 13-point deficit at home to LDLC ASVEL Feminin to take a modest 77-72 victory which sets up the tie beautifully ahead of next week's return game on French soil. Brianna Fraser was the pick for Galatasaray with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Dayshanette Harris caught the eye for ASVEL with 23 points. Besiktas are well placed to advance after Temi Fagbenle claimed a double-double of 22 points and 11 boards in a hard-fought 64-52 win at UFAB 49. Estudiantes eased out Villeneuve 75-65 as the French visitors played for the first time in the competition without their revered and now departed former head coach Rachid Meziane. They were undone by a strong team effort from Estudiantes. The Madrid side had Angela Salvadores top-scoring with 15 points, but it was the powerful Marena Whittle who impressed once again. She moved into the limelight after contributing 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Sassari were too strong for IDK Euskotren as they claimed a 60-50 victory that was founded on taking advantage of their opponents' modest firepower. They shut them down with an excellent defensive effort, while at the other end of the court, guard duo Shaylee Gonzales and Debora Carangelo lit it up. The former dropped 16 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals, with Carangelo offering an all-action 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. 03 Jan 2025 18:00:00 GMT?Rayo Vallecano won 3–1 over Racing de Ferrol on Fri 03 Jan 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHaven't kept a clean sheet in 5 matches Racing de Ferrol is playing home against Rayo Vallecano at Estadio Municipal de A Malata on Fri Iraklis STIHL and Bodrum Basketbol3 min to readReviewBAXI Ferrol took the road win in ItalyThe first leg games are over and five clubs have commanding wins to reflect on ahead of next week's return games BAXI Ferrol breezed past their Italian hosts and never needed to engage their highest gear as they strolled to a comfortable win Irish national team centerpiece Claire Melia showed her teeth with a fine 17 points and 7 rebounds with Gala Mestres also highly influential after shining with 12 points The one bright spot for the Italians on a difficult night was the performance of Marie Benson She rracked up 18 points and 12 rebounds during the loss Bodrum Basketbol locked down GiroLive Panthers Osnabruck to make it a miserable debut for the German side as they coasted to a superb victory that puts them in the box-seat in the tie ahead of the return leg on Turkish soil the visitors were led brilliantly by frontcourt pair of Laura Juskaite and Tina Krsajisnik The former harvested a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds while Krajisnik stepped off the hardwood with 13 points and as many boards Jasmine Thomas also epitomized the lockdown with 6 steals Hungarian newbies TFSE-MTK had a challenging opening experience of the competition as they were sunk by a slick and powerful UFAB 49 The visitors jumped all over their opponents with an electric 25-12 first quarter They never had cause to look back and dominated on the glass - out-rebounding the hosts 50-31 Angers were led by French rising star Marine Dursus who top-scored with 16 points Axelle Merceron was only one rebound short of a double-double after scoring 13 points while the experience of Joy Adams was telling as she offered up a super smart 9 points BDS Dinamo Sassari backcourt duo Debora Carangelo and Shaylee Gonzales put PAS Giannina to the sword as the Italian side imposed their authority against the Greek rookies The former used her experience and quality to great effect and stepped off court with 12 points and a stellar 11 assists while Gonzales enjoyed her debut with 22 points The defeat was tough on home star Janika Griffith-Wallace who showed out with 26 points First TeamCall to UDA fans and thanks to Racing Club Ferrol UD Almería hope to have the greatest possible support from their unrivalled supporters. Tickets are still valid for this Tuesday. The Ferrol-based club offered its support to the home team when setting the new date for the match The current head to head record for the teams are CD Mirandes 2 win(s) Joaquin Panichelli has the most shots on target per match for CD Mirandes (1.3) Have scored 3 goals in their last 5 matches Eneko Jauregi has the most shots on target per match for Racing de Ferrol (0.9) 14 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT?CD Mirandes won 4–1 over Racing de Ferrol on Fri 14 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches CD Mirandes is playing home against Racing de Ferrol at Estadio Municipal de Anduva on Fri The current head to head record for the teams are Real Oviedo 2 win(s) Haven't kept a clean sheet in 7 matches Real Oviedo have won the previous 2 matches against Racing de Ferrol. Haven't scored in their last 6 matches 12 Apr 2025 19:00:00 GMT?Real Oviedo won 3–0 over Racing de Ferrol on Sat 12 Apr 2025 19:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Real Oviedo have won the previous 2 matches against Racing de Ferrol Real Oviedo is playing home against Racing de Ferrol at Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere on Sat The games will be played on Thursday, March 6 and Thursday, March 13 with the full schedule available, here Could we see a second EuroCup Women title in three editions for ASVEL They've now eliminated other big-hitters Galatasaray and Girona and have the incredible teenage duo of Dominque Malonga and Juste Jocyte on form the Cinderella story of rookies BAXI Ferrol shows no signs of ending the likes of Angela Mataix and Gala Mestres are still balling out so perhaps another big upset could be incoming Key matchup: Claire Melia (BAXI Ferrol) vs Dominique Malonga (LDLC ASVEL Feminin) BallinEurope’s Emmet Ryan is on the ground in Ferrol this week for the Eurocup Women final between Baxi Ferrol and Villeneuve d’Ascq the impact of Claire Melia’s performance with the Galician club is already being felt He spoke to some of the people in the know back in her homeland about what Melia’s rise in Spain means for basketball in Ireland It’s barely 24 hours since I got to Ferrol and the interest in this week’s Eurocup Women final first leg is unmistakable Basketball fever has gripped the city in Galicia ahead of Baxi Ferrol’s battle with Villeneuve d’Ascq The view is similar back in Ireland as those who worked with Claire Melia on her journey look fondly towards the big occasion was Claire Melia’s first basketball coach at Under 12 with Kestrels in Portarlington when she was growing up so Foster was fortunate to be the first to work with her Now that she’s flying the flag with Baxi Ferrol We knew she had talent but none of us could have dreamed she’d achieve this much It just wasn’t the type of thing that was talked about back then,” said Foster “I knew she could be an international but this is another level entirely Martin Conroy has been coaching basketball for 35 years He thinks he has coached more games against Claire Melia than anybody else was also her coach for the Ireland U20 and Midlands Select sides “I was talking to Francis O’Sullivan [a longtime coach] when she was 15 We both saw that she was head and shoulders above everyone else both physically but also in the way she played,” Spain wasn’t always the guaranteed destination for Melia Clubs in England had also been in touch with Melia had built up a good rapport with her however and that proved a key influence in her decision “She had done all she could possibly do in Ireland There’s a common trend along the way that the team she was on tended to win trophies the most successful underage sides of the modern era all featured Claire,” he said Conroy considers her the best Irish player he’s ever seen Claire Melia is the best female player we’ve ever had,” he said “I don’t think we even realise how big it is that she’s in this final There will be so many kids thinking now that they could be the next to do it and she has set a standard for how Irish athletes manage big occasions Throughout the business end of the Eurocup Women campaign Melia has been extremely generous with her time with the media It has not come at the detriment of her game a usual fear among coaches in other sports Melia gets to be herself and she’s honest and relaxed with the media when talking about that Claire Melia’s performances with Baxi Ferrol in Eurocup Women are proving that Irish players can perform on the grandest stage Tommy O’Mahony was the head coach when Claire Melia captained the Ireland U18 national team in 2017 That side won a silver medal in the B Division making it the first Irish side to ever get promoted to an A division in Europe He’s thrilled to see her performing so well with Baxi Ferrol “Claire has always been ambitious and willing to take on a challenge She’s really making a difference for her team,” he said “People don’t realise how big this is for the sport a lot of players didn’t bother watching European basketball they’re watching but they are also watching other players and learning from them.” While Claire Melia has been a sensation for Baxi Ferrol it was never a guarantee that she would try the pro game Melia delayed her move to play NCAA basketball a year due to an ACL injury but didn’t enjoy her time with St Joseph’s in Philadelphia Despite putting up stellar stats with the side she is on record as saying she wasn’t happy with the coaching style That had O’Sullivan concerned that she might never make the jump to a European club It was in the back of my mind that she mightn’t ever make a move she brings success wherever she goes,” he said O’Sullivan is naturally glad to see his fears didn’t come to pass and that Melia is setting a standard for Irish basketball in Europe A good few from the club are going over for the [second leg] game in France.” Considering how successful Claire Melia’s career in Ireland was it’s surprisingly easy to pick out her most decorated season Mark Scannell coached her at Glanmire in the 2021/22 season whether that meant scoring 30 points or 7,” he said was eager for Melia to test the waters at a higher standard of basketball My daughter Jessica was playing in Australia so maybe she’d consider going there as well She was always destined to make the big move She’s in a good set-up and I see bigger and better things for her I texted her the other night telling her to enjoy everything that comes her way the next couple of weeks,” he said I remember one game against Brunell where she had 36 points She had a shot from the corner to win and I never had a notion that she’d miss.” “She rang me at the start of the summer to tell me she had a great opportunity I’m not sure Claire reckoned she’d be in a Eurocup Women final,” he said “You’d be silly to say anything to her other than to go get it Obviously it’s tough for her being away but Claire has found an incredible group that just gets her.” please copy this code and paste it along with your comment: 95e022b7eaba6c2a63bb9f84b40ee8d4 Melia averaged a performance efficiency valuation of 19.7 during the month In the Semi-Finals against LDCL ASVEL Feminin Melia proved unstoppable and poured in 40 points across the two legs Stepping into the first leg of the Finals matchup with Villeneuve d'Ascq which saw Ferrol edged out 78-75, Melia was a towering figure for her side in a sensational game. She kept her team's hopes of silverware intact by registering 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the contest. The current head to head record for the teams are Levante 1 win(s) Carlos Álvarez has created the most big chances for Levante (11) Have scored 2 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't scored in their last 2 matches 03 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT?Racing de Ferrol won 1–0 over Levante on Mon 03 Feb 2025 19:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 9 goals in their last 5 matches Levante is playing home against Racing de Ferrol at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia on Mon are the underdogs in this year’s EuroCup Women Final according to the former Michigan State Spartan With Baxi Ferrol about to play the EuroCup Women Final Swish Appeal caught up with their rookie wing Moira Joiner discussing her expectations for the big game Ferrol’s positionless basketball and the team’s Cinderella run which involved wins over traditional European powers Galatasaray and Lyon Joiner also shared memories from her early years in Saginaw, Michigan, as well as her time at Michigan State (2019-24) Below are some highlights from our conversation: That was probably one of the hardest years of my college career You have to sit out the rest of the season.” What they were worried that I would never play basketball again is it worth trying to come back to play?” And in my mind there was only one solution: Come back to play So I did a lot of what you call “brain therapy.” And it took so much patience Because it’s not like you rolled an ankle or you tore something where you can see your muscles physically getting better It was a lot of pressing myself to the limit and then stopping I could ride a bike for five minutes and my head would start hurting and I’d have to stop for the whole day that’s all my body could take for the day and now the next day I do something else.” And it wasn’t always physical therapy It was playing mind games so my mind would fire more rapidly than it did from the concussion And it was just a lot of mental patience and just having faith that I was going to make it back It took at least six months of slow therapy until I got back to full health and I was able to come back and play I think the coach decided to recruit me here because I fit his style of play the 1 through 3 positions are pretty interchangeable and then you can add the 4 in there sometimes I just think that the system fits players who love to move a lot as well they made it to the Finals just like we did All this preparation is to try our best to stop what they do best but I do think it’s going to be a great series I think we have an advantage with speed and how we play in transition So I think it’s going to be a little bit more of focusing on what we’ve been doing well to get to the Finals A special thank you to Jeanne McNulty-King of 2X Inc MUNICH (Germany) - The matchups for the Semi-Finals of the 2024-25 EuroCup Women season were finalized on Thursday Sopron Basket and Villeneuve d'Ascq LM all made it through the last eight stage with aggregate victories 2023 champions ASVEL pulled off another comeback to overturn a five-point first leg deficit as they knocked out Spar Girona while French compatriots Villeneuve d'Ascq LM - winners in 2015 - held off a fightback from last season's runners-up Besiktas JK to advance Sopron prevented a third French side from making the Semi-Finals who add another chapter to their memorable run on debut from the Qualifiers Each tie is played across two legs with the highest-seeded team from the Regular Season rankings earning home advantage for the second leg. The Semi-Finals are set to take place on March 6 and 13, with the Finals starting at the end of March. The current head to head record for the teams are Malaga 0 win(s) Alfonso Herrero is ranked 2 in saves per match in the competition (4) Haven't scored in their last 3 matches 22 Mar 2025 17:30:00 GMT?Malaga won 2–0 over Racing de Ferrol on Sat 22 Mar 2025 17:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Malaga is playing home against Racing de Ferrol at Estadio La Rosaleda on Sat There were contrasting emotions of the most stark kind for both teams after Cluj took a 9-point win against Iraklis but were still left contemplating missing out on Regular Season action after failing to overturn the 11-point gap from the first game. They had pushed their Greek rivals hard and could have even advanced during regulation time after missing an opportunity to score just before forcing the extra period. The tie was in the balance until the last moments of overtime when Iraklis just did enough thanks to a Kennedy Dickie basket with 9 seconds left ultimately sealing the deal. That was fitting as she finished with 26 points and 10 boards, while Alexis Cortez was brilliant for the home side with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 4 steals. Leading 78-36 from the first meeting when they rolled over Osnabruck on the road, Bodrum had to work a lot harder in this one to get what is their first ever home win in the competition. Jasmine Thomas and Tina Krajisnik shared 30 points to take Bodrum to a convincing 148-102 aggregate success. Kamilla Sudhoff at least finished on a high for Osnabruck with a nice double-double of 16 points and 10 boards. It was a similar story for UFAB 49 who were also on fire on their travels last week and they also found it tougher in the return matchup but still coasted through 173-134 on aggregate. A big third quarter offensively was the difference as they came back to drop 29 points on TFSE-MTK in the period. Emmanuelle Tahane did great work and stood out with a smart 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Ashten Prechtel finished on the losing team but went off for 25 points. It was a powerful second display from Italian outfit Dinamo Sassari as they smashed their way past PAS Giannina to leap into the Regular Season. Their Greek opponents couldn't cope with the quality and depth as Sparkle Taylor lived up to her moniker with a superb 26 points. Meanwhile, Umo Diallo also added 18 points. Konstantina Sarigiannidou signed off with 24 points for Giannina. Luis Perea has the most shots on target per match for Racing de Ferrol (0.9) Have scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches Burgos CF haven't lost to Racing de Ferrol in their last 6 meetings (3W, 3D). Alex Sancris has the most shots on target per match for Burgos CF (0.9) 05 Mar 2025 19:00:00 GMT?Burgos CF won 1–0 over Racing de Ferrol on Wed 05 Mar 2025 19:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Burgos CF haven't lost to Racing de Ferrol in their last 6 meetings (3W Racing de Ferrol is playing home against Burgos CF at Estadio Municipal de A Malata on Wed Ireland’s Claire Melia has missed out on European glory after her team, Spain’s Baxi Ferrol, suffered a heavy defeat against French outfit Villeneuve d’Ascq in the EuroCup women’s final. The 25-year-old from Co Kildare put in a strong performance in Wednesday’s second leg final, scoring six points and providing four assists, but Villeneuve ultimately triumphed 84-70. Trailing by three points after their 78-75 home defeat in last week’s first leg, Ferrol would have still fancied their chances of snatching the title, but the French club dominated from the off this time out. Listen | 33:35Melia, who joined Ferrol last August, helped keep her side in touch in the opening quarter with a two-pointer and three assists, but as the match drew on Villeneuve shot themselves into a commanding lead, ending the first half 42-30 to the good. The Monasterevin woman scored two two-pointers in the third quarter, but with the score 55-41 in Villeneuve’s favour at that point, the match and the title looked well beyond Ferrol’s reach. Showing no let-up in the final quarter, Villeneuve pushed on to win 84-70 (162-145 over the two legs) to be crowned the 2025 EuroCup women’s champions. Muireann Duffy is a sports journalist with The Irish Times Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC Jon Bautista has created the most big chances for Eibar (7) Jorge Pascual has the most shots on target per match for Eibar (1.2) 15 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT?Racing de Ferrol vs Eibar on Sat 15 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT ended in a 0–0 tie.InsightsHave scored 2 goals in their last 5 matches Racing de Ferrol is playing home against Eibar at Estadio Municipal de A Malata on Sat