Ogwumike Helps Dynamo Kursk Outlast Parker's Fenerbahce for EuroLeague Title

Sun, Apr 16, 2017, 11:42 PM
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Justin Lester

Six months after they captured the WNBA title together, the L.A. Sparks’ Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker went head-to-head for another trophy across the pond.

Parker’s Fenerbahce took on Ogwumike’s Dynamo Kursk in the EuroLeague final on Sunday in Russia, with both teams aiming to capture the first championship in their respective club’s histories. In a game full of other WNBA stars, it was Ogwumike’s team that earned a 77-63 victory to win the title in its first-ever EuroLeague final appearance.

Angel McCoughtry, who actually played for Fenerbahce from 2011-15, paced Dynamo Kursk with a game-high 20 points on Sunday and earned MVP honors. Ogwumike added 19 points and 10 boards, while New York’s Epiphanny Prince tallied 18 points and a game-high seven assists. Parker finished the contest with 18 points, and Fenerbahce was led by the 19 points of Chicago guard Allie Quigley.

It has been a historic season for Dynamo Kursk, which finished 18-0 in EuroLeague play and is 23-1 in Russian League action heading into the championship series. Ogwumike and McCoughtry both had spectacular campaigns in the EuroLeague – they finished first in the league in rebounds (10.2 per game) and third in points (17.3 per game), respectively.

For Ogwumike, this past calendar year couldn’t have gone much better. The 2016 WNBA MVP and champion adds a EuroLeague title to her résumé and has a chance to win the Russian League title later this month.

To get to the EuroLeague final, Ogwumike’s team defeated a USK Praha side led by Sonja Petrovic, who spent the 2016 WNBA season in Phoenix. Fenerbahce, meanwhile, pulled off an upset by taking down Diana Taurasi and defending champion UMMC Ekaterinburg in the semifinals. UMMC then claimed the bronze with a victory over USK Praha on Sunday, led by the 16 points and 12 rebounds of Mystics center Emma Meesseman.

UMMC and Dynamo Kursk are set to meet in the Finals of the Russian League next week.