UMMC returned to its old place
[ad_1]
For the 16th time in its history, the UMMC Women’s Basketball Club became the winner of the Russian Championship. On Tuesday, the women from Yekaterinburg also won the third match of the final series against the winner of last year’s championship Dynamo Kursk with a score of 79:56. Let’s add that this season the “chanterelles” won all three tournaments in which they participated, and their winning streak stretched to an impressive 44 matches.
A year ago, UMMC did not become the champion of Russia. The event itself was significant. For almost a decade and a half, the Ural team reigned supreme in the domestic arena, and very often also dominated the international arena (since 2013, the Chanterelles have won the Euroleague five times, and won the main European Cup six times in total). But after the beginning of the events in Ukraine, the UMMC was suddenly left without a whole scattering of talented legionnaires and head coach Miguel Mendez. And just like that, the Kursk Dynamo turned out to be. For many years, the Kursk women tried to push the UMMC in the Russian championship, but without success. However, last year they took advantage of their chance, having issued the title of the champion of the country for the first time in their history.
Without detracting from the merits of Dynamo, it was worth admitting that the UMMC did not have enough time in that history to reorganize on internal reserves. Yes, other Premier League teams faced similar problems, but still their dependence on “imports” was noticeably lower. So in the new season, the club’s management had to change approaches to work, adapt to new conditions. Dynasty clubs have to go through this path from time to time. But it is the ability to rebuild that sets them apart from other teams.
In conditions when there were no foreigners wishing to play in Yekaterinburg, the bet was made on internal resources. This is both point selection and greater confidence of young people. And all this under the guidance of head coach Dmitry Donskov, who took over the team in 2022 on an emergency basis.
As a result, in Yekaterinburg, we again managed to assemble a very balanced team. Yes, in the center (in every sense) was the proven Maria Vadeeva, but at the same time, the composition gained depth. That was what was missing at the end of last season. And as a result, an excessive load fell on the same Vadeeva. Center practically did not leave the site, which was reflected in important moments. And as soon as the balance was established, the former hegemony of the UMMC returned. The team did not lose even once during the season. She won both the country’s Super Cup and the Russian Cup, and on Tuesday she crept up to another triumph in the Premier League championship. In the final, UMMC again faced Dynamo for the sixth time in a row. The Kursk players did not pass the season as flawlessly as the Ekaterinburg women, they lost seven times in the regular championship, and although they finished second, they were only one victory away from the MBA. But already in the playoffs, the same MBA Dynamo confidently knocked out of the tournament, and in the final series the team showed that it should never be underestimated. For example, in the second match of the UMMC finals, we had to literally scratch out the victory from Dynamo. So there was every reason to hope that the series would not turn out to be dry, that it would stretch for more than three games. Indeed, they were not justified. In the third match, which took place in Kursk, the hosts entered the game too slowly. So much so that they did not have time to look back, as they landed under the Yekaterinburg ice rink. And three minutes have not passed, as the guests have already scored 10 unanswered points. By the middle of the first quarter they were leading 17:1. We must give Dynamo their due – the team tried to come up with something. But in vain. The UMMC advanced on a united front. Five basketball players of the guests at once showed performance at the level of 10 points or more (and Vadeeva added 10 rebounds to her 12 points), which left Dynamo no chance. UMMC won with a score of 79:56 and regained the title. By the way, this was the 44th consecutive victory of the Ural team. It’s still a long way from a repeat of the previous, completely insane 73-game winning streak (it broke off last spring), but it looks like there is every chance of improving the achievement.
We add that after the end of the match, the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF), under whose auspices the Premier League is held, named the symbolic five of the tournament. It included point guard Alexandria Bentley (UMMC), shooting guard Maria Krymova (MBA), small forward Daria Ignatova (Sparta & K), power forward Josselina Maiga (MBA) and center Elizaveta Shabanova (Dynamo). Maria Vadeeva was recognized as the most valuable player of the tournament.
[ad_2]
Source link