AAU Alumni, Alex Louin, Makes a Run for Women's Basketball EuroCup

Playing the sport of basketball opens your future to so many opportunities both on and off the court. Some AAU Alumni find themselves becoming doctors, managers, future leaders of their community, as well as professional basketball players. One former AAU member, Alex Louin didn't give up on her dream to continue playing basketball. The Villanova senior earned second team Big East honor, leading her team in points per game, rebounding and free-throws made, but after her NCAA run her senior year, she knew she wasn't done yet. Her drive to continue to play the sport ended up landing her overseas. From 2018 to 2020, she played for both Luxemborg, BBC Grengewald Hueschert, and in the Finnish Leagues. Now, she has lead her team to make another run at the EuroCup Championship.

From the Philadelphia Belles in Doylestown, Pennsylvania to the world stage, this is Alex Louin.
 

Article originally posted on FIBA.Basketball.

MUNICH (Germany) - With six clubs battling it out for the last three tickets to the EuroCup Women Regular Season, we've picked out the players to watch in the Qualifiers.

The Qualifiers take place this week by way of three one-off contests and each victorious side will book their place at the opening Regular Season hub next month.

Alex Louin - BBC Grengewald Hueschtert

Who better to lead the underdogs into their first ever EuroCup Women game than a hero of the club? Just over 18 months ago, Louin wrote herself into folklore as she made the buzzer beater in overtime to win Grengewald the Championship. While she took a detour to the Finnish League in 2019-20 where she shot the lights out and averaged 28 points per game, the Villanova alumni is back in Luxembourg and ready to make her mark again.

Jasmine Bailey - Saint-Amand Hainaut Basket

The do-it-all Bailey showed what she could do in the competition last season with another French team in the shape of Roche Vendee BC and so far domestically, she has been the main shining light for Saint-Amand Hainaut in a tough start to the campaign. Struggling 1-6 in the LFB, they need some positivity with EuroCup Women success and Bailey is the most likely to provide it, since she has had a nice individual season with almost 13 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

Olha Yatskovets - BC Winterthur

The Ukraine national team forward has spent the last three seasons competing for MBK Ruzomeberok and since landing in Switzerland to join her new team, she has excelled. She is averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds per game in the Swiss League, perhaps most importantly, showing her defensive qualities with 2 blocks per game. Her recent experience of the competition should be priceless for a club not familiar with EuroCup Women action.

Aleksandra Kroselj - Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen

After moving from from Slovenia for her first campaign outside of her homeland, Kroselj is looking to prove she can step up and pull the strings effectively at this level. With limited experience of the competition at Cinkarna Celje, as well as minutes with the senior Slovenia national team, she has shown she has the talent to be a backcourt leader. Although regrettably for her and her teammates, the Belgian League has been one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus and finding momentum has been tough.

Kalis Loyd - Tenerife

The Swedish national team star has demonstrated her quality at the highest level when representing her country and was particularly impressive at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019 Final Round. Dynamic and always a threat, she will be at the top of her opponents scouting report. Loyd has played previously with ACS Sepsi-Sic and Basket Landes in this tournament so knows what is required and has had a typically solid start to her Liga Feminina career.

Hanne Mestdagh - Namur

It isn't always about putting up big numbers when it comes to those most playing the most important roles in these winner-takes-all Qualifiers. Belgian Cats' forward Hanne Mestdagh will be so crucial for Namur. She has seen and done it all before at the biggest tournaments with the national team, while also playing in EuroLeague or EuroCup Women in every season since she turned pro. She'll be fundamental in ensuring her team aren't victims of an upset against BBC Grengewald Hueschtert.

FIBA