Upsets will occasionally happen in the EuroLeague Women, but beatings like the one Fenerbahce handed out to Gambrinus Sika Brno on December 20 was most unusual.

The defending champions didn't just lose, they were throttled, 75-56.

Gambrinus' Slovakian star Zuzana Zirkova still finds it hard to believe that she and her colleagues came totally unstuck against a side that is not one of the traditional powers in the competition.

		Zirkova and Gambrinus Sika Brno won the 2006 EuroLeague Women title.

Nobody knows the reason," Zirkova said in an interview published by www.basket.sk.

"Games like this simply happen in basketball. I do not remember such a bad game in Brno. It was our black day.

"It was a big surprise for all after our win in the first game 70-66 win Istanbul."

The loss will not prevent Gambrinus from advancing to the Eighth-Final Play-Offs, but it it remains to be seen if it was a psychological blow.

Gambrinus are 5-3 and fourth in Group C behind Fener and UMMC Ekaterinburg, who are both 6-2, and Ros Casares (5-3).

The combined record of Gambrinus' next two opponents, US Valenciennes and Lotos Gdynia, is 2-14, so the likelihood is that Zirkova and Co will finish up as 7-3.

If the mauling by Fenerbahce did anything, it convinced the club that the Gambrinus players, many of who played at the FIBA World Championship for the Czech Republic in September, needed a break.

The players were told to recharge their batteries and return on January 2.

"I have never had such a large amount of free time at the end of year since I started playing basketball," Zirkova said.

"The leaders of our club decided that after our very bad performance in the game of the EuroLeague against Fenerbahce Istanbul.

"They gave us a free time because they want us to find an appetite for basketball from us, mostly the Czech players in our team who needed a break after the World Championship in Brazil ... they need to have a "mental" rest sure."

Overall for Zirkova, 2006 could not have gone much better.

The shooting guard was a valuable member of the EuroLeague title winning side, and she has played well this year despite having an ankle operation in the summer.

"It was a super year," Zirkova said, "one of the best in my career. I won the EuroLeague and I think my performances in this competition were good.

"Doctors operated on my right ankle in June and this operation turned out well - I have not had any problems with my foot since that time."

One reason why Zirkova had such a good year was her time spent with Slovakia's national side.

"We did not qualify for European Championship - but from my point of view - the games with Slovak team were very good for me," Zirkova said.

"I returned to "big" basketball after my operation. These games showed me my ankle is in order."

As for Slovakia's EuroBasket Women hopes, Zirkova hasn't given up on playing in Turkey.

"Yes, I am optimistic - as usual. The most important thing is which players will come to play in the additional qualification tournament.

"We can be much stronger than we played in qualifying - many quality players did not play."