Nunn's 25 Points Power Benfica to Taça de Portugal Feminina Title

Schaquilla Nunn (190-C-1994, college: Tennessee) delivered a commanding 25-point, 12-rebound double-double as SL Benfica lifted the Taça de Portugal Feminina with a dominant 76-56 victory over GDESSA Barreiro in Sunday's final. The cup final started as a genuine contest, with both sides trading blows through a competitive first half that ended with Benfica clinging to a slim 32-30 advantage. But the Eagles flipped a switch after the break, outscoring their opponents 44-24 across the final two quarters to turn a tight final into a coronation. The third period was where the game broke open. Benfica poured in 24 points while holding GDESSA to just 12, a 12-point swing that ballooned their lead and extinguished any hopes of a Barreiro upset. A 15-0 scoring run — the biggest of the game — underlined the gulf in quality once Eugénio Rodrigues' side found their rhythm on the biggest stage.
Nunn was simply unstoppable in the paint, shooting a blistering 8-of-12 from two-point range and finishing with a game-high efficiency index of 38.5. She added three assists, three steals and a block for good measure, asserting her dominance on both ends of the floor in a performance worthy of a cup final MVP. Her 6-of-7 clip from the free-throw line sealed possessions throughout the second half whenever GDESSA tried to foul their way back into the contest. She wasn't alone. Maria Bettencourt (173-G-1991) stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points and nine rebounds, operating as Benfica's floor general with three assists against only two turnovers. The guard knocked down a pair of three-pointers and went 6-of-8 from the charity stripe in a polished all-around display. Leticia Soares (188-C-1997, college: San Diego) completed a trio of double-digit scorers with 12 points and a team-high-tying 12 rebounds — seven of them on the offensive glass, giving Benfica extra possessions that GDESSA simply couldn't afford to concede in a cup final. Benfica dominated the boards 49-35 overall, a margin that translated directly into nine second-chance points. Benfica's interior dominance told the story of the final: 32 of their 76 points came in the paint, and they converted 20-of-38 two-point attempts at a 52 percent clip. The defense forced 13 turnovers and converted them into 11 points, keeping GDESSA off-balance throughout.
For GDESSA Barreiro, captain Maianca Umabano did everything she could to keep her side alive in the showpiece event. The forward finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including a scorching 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. But she received precious little help. Márcia Costa Robalo chipped in 12 points but needed 15 shots to get there, converting at just 20 percent from the field — a reflection of Benfica's stifling defense in the half-court. The numbers were damning for André Martins' side. GDESSA shot a frigid 26 percent from the field (17-of-63) and just 21 percent from two-point range (8-of-37), unable to generate clean looks against Benfica's disciplined defensive rotations. Their 86 percent free-throw shooting (13-of-15) was a bright spot, but they simply didn't get to the line enough to offset the shooting struggles. Lauren Park-Lane (165-G-2001, college: MSU) dished out a game-high five assists but managed only six points on 3-of-12 shooting, while Maria Oliveira was held scoreless despite logging nearly 32 minutes — though she battled on the glass with seven rebounds, five of them offensive. In front of 250 fans in Paredes, Benfica's second-half masterclass secured the Portuguese Women's Cup trophy. With Nunn anchoring the attack and a balanced supporting cast around her, the Eagles produced the kind of two-way execution that champions are made of — capping their cup campaign with a resounding statement in the final.