Awak Kuier was the second best scorer of the Italian team Reyer Venezia in the first semi-final of the basketball EuroCup.
Awak Kuierin represented by Reyer Venezia played a roller-coaster-like first basketball EuroCup semi-final on Wednesday after losing at home to the English BA London Lions with 68-69 points in Venice.
Venezia led BA London Lions 21-20 after the first quarter, but had to take a break from a 16-point deficit to 24-40 after scoring only three points in the second period.
In the third quarter, Venezia was down by 18 points for a long time, before it rallied and rose to a 43–50 situation in the final period. The Londoners led the fourth period with a maximum of nine points, until the once again energized Venezia finally came within a point with Kuieri’s three successful free throws, with the final score 68–69.
Kuier received the second most responsibility for his team and worked against taller opponents for almost 32 minutes in the opening semi-final.
With ten shots, the Finnish center scored 12 points, grabbed three rebounds, made one basket and was responsible for the most spectacular save of the match. One of Kuieri’s three three-pointers sank in.
Only a backcourt player from the Venezia team Matilde Villa (14/4/4s) scored more points with his thirteen throws than the 194-centimeter Kuier.
BA London Lions’ experienced, 193-centimeter center Temitope Fagbenle gathered the power 24/6 and the second player with a long head in the starting line-up, 190 centimeters Megan Gustafson 14/12.
Kuieri could possibly become the first Finnish woman to play basketball in the EuroCup final. It is the second toughest women’s club team competition in Europe, where Venezia has been the losing side in the final three times in recent years.
The final and decisive semi-final will be played at London Lions’ home arena on March 14. In the second women’s EuroCup semi-final, Besiktas from Turkey and Girona from Spain will meet.