This upcoming weekend is probably the biggest weekend for European basketball - well men’s basketball at least. The best European league - Euroleague is having a tournament called Final Four which will be held in Madrid, Spain. Guess what - I am going!

I am really excited to have the chance to see the best teams in Europe, which as Tau Vitoria from Spain, CSKA Moscow from Russia, Maccabi Tel Aviv from Israel and Montepaschi Siena from Italy. Last team I even saw already live in Rome, when they played Lottomatica Roma.

I must say I don’t know that much about European men’s basketball but there are other people that cover that … like BallinEurope. So if you need any information head over there.

I will leave for Madrid on Friday and come back on Tuesday, while the tournament’s final will take place on Sunday. Of course I will take some pictures and post them here on my blog.

Time to relax a little bit. Last week the season wrapped up in Viterbo. The outcome was a bit dissappointing. I can at least say that I gave everything I had and sometimes things are just not meant to be. However, I really enjoyed my time in Viterbo. It was a learning experience for sure! I felt that it was a great location for sight-seeing and I also had the chance to meet a lot of nice people.

I am spending time in Bavaria, Germany with my boyfriend and his family. I always enjoy coming here this time of year because it is beautiful. In the area Tobi lives, you can see the snow-capped mountains and green countryside. This morning we took advantage of the weather and went for a 30 km bike ride along a river and through picturesque landscapes. Refreshing.

We will stay here until June 8th. In this time, I want my body to recover from the long season and enjoy myself. Throughout the season, I put so much time and effort into it. All that I do is eat, sleep and play basketball. So, after the season, I need a “down time“ for myself. That way, when the end of June comes, I am physically and mentally prepared to put the work in that is necessary for next season!

While we are in Germany, we are going to do some traveling. Next weekend, we are going to Madrid for the men´s Final 4. Then, we will go to Luxembourg where I can visit some old friends that I made playing my first year in Europe. Finally, to Poland where I have a chance to see where my family if from and to explore my heritage. I am really looking forward to all of these things! Until next time… OXOXO, Michelle

Michelle still follows closely what her old basketball club in Germany, TSV Wasserburg is doing. Besides many injuries this year, the club at the river in, in the deep south of Germany, has managed not to lose one single league game this year.

Wasserburg actually just won the second game against Freiburg to close out the semi final series 2-0. With only six! professional players and one youth player, Gusti Reiser, the team won 72-80 in Freiburg with 5 players scoring in double digits. Amongst them, Australian national player Kathrina Hibbert who finished with 16 points.

Wasserburg will meet long time rival TV Saarlouis in the final now who also won their series 2-0 against NB Oberhausen.

Of course it will be great to follow this series, since both teams have shown throughout the season that they deserve to be in the final. It remains to see, if Wasserburg will still be able to win the German championship again, with only six professional players - and of course without their rebound machine Wanda Guyton, who stopped her career last season and works with Hansi Brei as assistant coach for TSV Wasserburg.

The playouts have not shown what this team really can do. In both series to avoid a drop to the second divison, Virtus Viterbo won the first game but weren’t able to pull out another win to finalize the series.

The “palazzetto” in Viterbo was filled for the last time to see a first division women’s team in their city and the Viterbo once again started off well. After a few minutes the team was up 11-2 and everybody was expecting the girls to win this deciding game.

Unfortunately their opponents, Pomezia had the same goal and took the momentum from game 2 where they were able to win at home.

But did Viterbo really lose the season with these last games? Probably not. Of course the team and the coach had it in their hands to win those games but during this season a lot of distraction from outside the team made it difficult to focus on the only goal: WIN.

With probably the best center in this year’s Italian league, Brooke Smith, a very good and smart point guard from Greece, Lolita Limoura and Michelle the team had three important players that any team would have wanted to have.

With the coach changing in the middle of the season and other problems that have been discussed in the local newspaper the problems finally caught up with Viterbo.

Michelle finished her last game with 24 points and 12 rebounds and tried to save Viterbo from the 2nd division with all she could - 5 fouls aren’t that often to see in her career.

After the game, the fans still thanked the team and were still proud of “their” team. The true fans probably all knew how hard it was to play under these circumstances and just felt as bad as the team.

Even with this last game lost, the whole experience to play and live in Italy is priceless and Michelle is very thankful of the support she got from the fans in Viterbo. For now everybody probably is just glad that it is finally over.