Turkey – Marine Johannes is hitting her stride with Galatasaray. After a quiet start to the season, the French guard has just delivered her two best performances, both in the Turkish league and the EuroLeague Women. Her friend and Istanbul neighbor, Gabby Williams, also just had her best week of the season with Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Marine Johannes is gradually rediscovering her best form in a Galatasaray jersey. In just a few days, the French international has had two convincing performances, her best of the season. First in the EuroLeague Women, then in the league, illustrating a positive momentum as the major European tournaments approach.
A renewed impact in the Turkish league
On January 25, Marine Johannes was decisive in Galatasaray’s resounding victory against Elmat Konut SK (64-37). In 31 minutes, the French player scored 17 points (her season high in the league), adding 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal. A performance that confirms her resurgence after a quieter start to the season on Turkish courts.
After six league games, Johannes is now averaging 8.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 20 minutes per game. Galatasaray sits second in the standings with a solid record of 14 wins and 2 losses, still trailing Fenerbahce, led by Gabby Williams and Iliana Rupert-Dossou-Yovo (see below).
Marine Johannes is also making her mark in the EuroLeague.
A few days earlier, on January 22, the French guard had already recorded her highest scoring performance of the EuroLeague season, despite the loss to Prague (64-71) and her trio of French players. In 35 minutes, she tallied 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, playing a key role in her team’s offensive firepower, which was ultimately dominated by the trio of Astier (16 points), Ayayi (10), and Salaün (16).
In European competition, Johannes is averaging 7.4 points on 27.7% shooting (including 23.1% from three-point range, on 7.8 attempts per game), 2.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists (with 2.8 turnovers), and 1.2 steals in 32 minutes per game, over 5 games played. She is currently the third-best passer and second-best stealer for Galatasaray, who lead their group with an 8-2 record.
Turkish competition and French rivalry
After a WNBA season with New York and a break, Marine Johannes returned to the game in December and has since been trying to find her rhythm with a new club, having played for Mersin last season. Galatasaray is locked in a direct battle with Fenerbahce for first place in the regular season. This rivalry was intensified by Galatasaray’s defeat in the President’s Cup final in early January.
This matchup also provides an opportunity to see her friend and fellow French player, Gabby Williams (1.80 m, 29 years old), who is also coming off her best week of the European season. Remaining with Fenerbahce, the former BLMA player first delivered one of her best performances of the season in the EuroLeague during the victory against Venice (72-61), with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals in 36 minutes.
She finished the game as joint top scorer with the other French international on the roster, Iliana Dossou-Yovo Rupert (18 points and 6 rebounds). Still alongside an excellent Iliana Dossou-Yovo Rupert (13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks), Gabby Williams equaled her best offensive performance of the season this weekend in the victory against Botas: 19 points on 7/11 shooting including 5/8 from 3-point range, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals in 29 minutes.
In short, the Seattle Storm star is off to a flying start, averaging 9 points on 53.0% shooting (including 52.9% from three-point range, on 3.4 attempts per game), 3.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.9 steals in 20 minutes per game in the Turkish league, and 14.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 4 games played.
High ambitions for both Istanbul clubs With Marine Johannes becoming increasingly influential, Galatasaray harbors great ambitions. The Istanbul club would like to make a splash at the EuroLeague Women Final Six, after their 2014 title, and also wants to snatch the national trophy from their neighbor and rival, thus securing a fourteenth Turkish league title, the last one dating back to 2015. But in both competitions, Fenerbahçe remains the favorite.
The current momentum could prove decisive as Galatasaray and MJ approach their next major European fixture, a highly anticipated trip to face Tango Bourges Basket in the EuroLeague, a duel laden with symbolism for the French guard.
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