The 2025 EuroLeague Women Semifinals just proved once again why this tournament is one of the most underrated hoops experiences on the planet. Forget what you thought you knew about the favorites—because April 11 brought the chaos. ZVVZ USK Praha took down the defending champs in a statement win, and ÇBK Mersin held off Valencia Basket in a nail-biter that had fans sweating from start to finish.
Let’s break it all down.
🇨🇿 ZVVZ USK Praha 91, 🇫🇷 Fenerbahçe Opet 71
(An upset? More like a takeover.)
You know those moments in sports when a team walks into the arena like, “This is ours now”? That was ZVVZ USK Praha against EuroLeague giants and reigning champs Fenerbahçe Opet. In a semifinal game that was supposed to be close, Praha ran the show and walked away with a 91–71 win that felt like a mic drop.
And yes, Brionna Jones did Brionna Jones things again. The MVP candidate dropped 27 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and had 3 blocks while shooting over 60% from the field. She was unstoppable in the post, but this wasn’t a one-woman show.
Praha’s offense was moving like a well-oiled machine. Teja Oblak added 14 points and 7 assists, keeping the ball humming and the defense guessing. Valériane Ayayi splashed two huge threes that flipped momentum in the second quarter and Praha never looked back.
Fenerbahçe, led by Emma Meesseman and Gabby Williams, looked flat. Meesseman had 18 points and 6 assists but was hounded all night by Praha’s interior pressure. Williams contributed 13 points and 5 boards but couldn’t find her rhythm with the pace Praha was pushing.
📊 Key Stats – Praha vs. Fenerbahçe
-
Brionna Jones (Praha): 27 pts, 9 reb, 3 blk
-
Teja Oblak (Praha): 14 pts, 7 ast
-
Emma Meesseman (Fenerbahçe): 18 pts, 6 ast
-
Gabby Williams (Fenerbahçe): 13 pts, 5 reb
It’s official: Praha is not just a Cinderella story anymore—they’re a full-on problem. After this 20-point dismantling of a superteam, they’re heading into the finals with all the momentum.
🇹🇷 ÇBK Mersin 68, 🇪🇸 Valencia Basket Club 66
(Too close to call, until the last two seconds.)
If Praha’s win was a statement, Mersin’s semifinal was survival mode. ÇBK Mersin squeaked out a 68–66 win against a very locked-in Valencia Basket Club in a game that was tense from tip-off to final buzzer.
Mersin leaned heavily on Natasha Howard once again, and she delivered like it was Amazon Prime—18 points, 6 rebounds, and a clutch bucket with under a minute left. She also hit 4 of 5 free throws in the final stretch, which basically iced it.
Iliana Rupert came up big defensively, with two shot contests in the final minute that kept Valencia from forcing overtime. Meanwhile, Alex Bentley was the spark off the bench, hitting back-to-back jumpers in the third quarter when Mersin’s offense had stalled.
Valencia had a great outing too—Raquel Carrera dropped 16 points, and Leticia Romero had 11 points and 6 assists, including a dime that cut the lead to one with 20 seconds left. But when it came down to the final possession, Mersin’s defense stood tall and punched their ticket to the finals.
📊 Key Stats – Mersin vs. Valencia
-
Natasha Howard (Mersin): 18 pts, 6 reb, 2 stl
-
Iliana Rupert (Mersin): 12 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk
-
Raquel Carrera (Valencia): 16 pts, 5 reb
-
Leticia Romero (Valencia): 11 pts, 6 ast
Mersin might not have had the flashiest win, but sometimes grit > glamor. They’ve clawed their way into the finals and look like a team that thrives when the pressure’s highest.
The Finals Are Set: Praha vs. Mersin
Let’s be real—this isn’t the EuroLeague Women final people predicted, but it might just be the one we needed. ZVVZ USK Praha is hot off back-to-back upsets, while ÇBK Mersin has proven they can survive anything. Expect intensity, post dominance, and some big-time highlight plays when they meet on April 13.