QU Women’s Basketball Alum Samantha Guastella Leads BBC Etzella to 2016 Luxembourg Cup Championship
3/23/2016 2:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Guastella Named Tournament MVP Following Her 22 Points and 17 Rebounds in Luxembourg Cup Championship
ETTELBRUCK, Luxembourg – Former Quinnipiac women's basketball star Samantha Guastella (Red Bank, New Jersey) has prolonged her winning pedigree into her run in the professional ranks as she recently named Tournament MVP for BBC Etzella while leading her team to a second consecutive Luxembourg Cup Championship.
"Winning the cup was an incredible feeling and I'm so proud of my team for fighting through the challenges that we have been faced with all year long," Guastella said. "BBC Etzella has been so welcoming and supportive. I'm lucky to have been able to get the chance to start my overseas career here in Ettelbruck, Luxembourg!"
Much like her role in Quinnipiac's program record 31-win 2014-15 campaign in which she was named to the All-MAAC First Team, Guastella played a crucial role in Etzella's title run as she averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from three on her way to earning Tournament MVP honors. She also added two assists, two steals and 1.3 blocks in 36 minutes per game.
Her crowning achievement came in the cup championship game as she posted 22 points (4-8 FG, 3-5 3FG, 5-6 FT), 17 rebounds and two blocks in 30 minutes, leading Etzella to a dominating 74-44 victory over Résidence. Guastella added a key performance in the semifinal game as she went for 21 points (4-7 FG, 3-5 3FG, 4-6 FT), five rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks while playing all 40 minutes as she led Etzella to a 65-62 upset victory over the top-ranked Amicale Steinsel.
Playing for BBC Etzella in the top league in Luxembourg all season, Guastella has made an immediate impact averaging a team-leading 20.2 points to go along with 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks in 35.9 minutes per game. For the season, Guastella is shooting a team-high 49.5 percent (152-307 FG) from the floor, 59 percent (111-118 2FG) on her two-point field goal attempts and 34.5 percent (41-119 3FG) from behind the arc. She ranks 10th in scoring while her 59 percent success rate on two-point field goals attempts ranks third in the league.
Fresh off the 2016 Luxembourg Cup Championship, Guastella and Etzella move on to league tournament where the top six teams in Luxembourg's top professional league battle in round robin play before the top four teams advance to the semifinals. The semifinal round will begin in mid-April and Guastella's recent form has Etzella currently sitting fourth in the league postseason with a hold on the final spot for advancement into the next round. Guastella is coming off a monster 30 points and 19 rebound effort that led Etzella to a thrilling 70-68 overtime win over Musel-Pikes on Sunday.
There are still four games remaining in the round robin stage of the league tournament as Etzella will next face Contern on Saturday, April 2. Currently fourth, Etzella has accumulated 19.5 points and stands 1.5 points behind third place AB Contern and 1.5 ahead of fifth place T71 Dudelange. Looking for its first Luxembourg League Championship since 2000, Etzella entered last year's league tournament seeded No. 1 but was upended in the semifinals by AB Contern.
"Winning the cup was an incredible feeling and I'm so proud of my team for fighting through the challenges that we have been faced with all year long," Guastella said. "BBC Etzella has been so welcoming and supportive. I'm lucky to have been able to get the chance to start my overseas career here in Ettelbruck, Luxembourg!"
Much like her role in Quinnipiac's program record 31-win 2014-15 campaign in which she was named to the All-MAAC First Team, Guastella played a crucial role in Etzella's title run as she averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from three on her way to earning Tournament MVP honors. She also added two assists, two steals and 1.3 blocks in 36 minutes per game.
Her crowning achievement came in the cup championship game as she posted 22 points (4-8 FG, 3-5 3FG, 5-6 FT), 17 rebounds and two blocks in 30 minutes, leading Etzella to a dominating 74-44 victory over Résidence. Guastella added a key performance in the semifinal game as she went for 21 points (4-7 FG, 3-5 3FG, 4-6 FT), five rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks while playing all 40 minutes as she led Etzella to a 65-62 upset victory over the top-ranked Amicale Steinsel.Playing for BBC Etzella in the top league in Luxembourg all season, Guastella has made an immediate impact averaging a team-leading 20.2 points to go along with 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks in 35.9 minutes per game. For the season, Guastella is shooting a team-high 49.5 percent (152-307 FG) from the floor, 59 percent (111-118 2FG) on her two-point field goal attempts and 34.5 percent (41-119 3FG) from behind the arc. She ranks 10th in scoring while her 59 percent success rate on two-point field goals attempts ranks third in the league.
Fresh off the 2016 Luxembourg Cup Championship, Guastella and Etzella move on to league tournament where the top six teams in Luxembourg's top professional league battle in round robin play before the top four teams advance to the semifinals. The semifinal round will begin in mid-April and Guastella's recent form has Etzella currently sitting fourth in the league postseason with a hold on the final spot for advancement into the next round. Guastella is coming off a monster 30 points and 19 rebound effort that led Etzella to a thrilling 70-68 overtime win over Musel-Pikes on Sunday.
There are still four games remaining in the round robin stage of the league tournament as Etzella will next face Contern on Saturday, April 2. Currently fourth, Etzella has accumulated 19.5 points and stands 1.5 points behind third place AB Contern and 1.5 ahead of fifth place T71 Dudelange. Looking for its first Luxembourg League Championship since 2000, Etzella entered last year's league tournament seeded No. 1 but was upended in the semifinals by AB Contern.
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