2008-09 EuroLeague Update ... Vol. 2

Vol. 2 - November 30, 2008 (Vol. 1)

- 2008-09 EuroLeague Results
- Select USA Basketball Players: 2008-09 EuroLeague Stats
- Official EuroLeague Site
- Have a comment or suggestion? Let us know!

First of all, this is a little delayed due to the holiday week. Too much turkey on Thanksgiving put me to sleep for most of the rest of the week. That, coupled with grey skies and not enough caffeine, and here I am on Sunday evening trying to finish up old news from Wednesday and Thursday.

CSKA Ceases Operations, Rebounds Back
Due to financial issues, CSKA Moscow -ended its existence" on Nov. 25, giving TTT Riga the week off from EuroLeague action. According to several translated Russian Internet sites, on Nov. 28 CSKA was allowed back into the Russian Super League and FIBA Europe let the squad back into EuroLeague action. However, there is nothing on CSKA's site that even mentions the issue. Or at least nothing I could find. On Monday morning CSKA was back in the EuroLeague Group B standings with a forfeited loss to TTT Riga, falling to third place in the group. The games played by CSKA were also reposted, upping Umana Reyer's record to 7-0 instead of Sunday's 6-0 slate.

Two Teams off the Schneid
Nadezhda and Lattes Montpellier finally put a notch in the W column with wins over Halcon Avenida and Beretta Famila, respectively. Nadezhda took the Spanish side 83-62 with the help of 20 points and six rebounds from Shameka Christon; while Lattes Montpellier collected its 78-73 win after Sheana Mosch poured in 20 points and dished out five assists.

Performers of the Week:

• Crystal Langhorne continues to impress, notching 17 points and 11 boards against two-time defending EuroLeague champs Spartak Moscow Region. However, her team was held to just 41 points as Sue Bird scored five points and dished out six assists; Sylvia Fowles managed eight points and nine rebounds Diana Taurasi totaled 14 points, five rebounds and two assists in Spartak's 85-41 rout.
• Despite a 21-point, 10-rebound performance by Alexis Hornbuckle, Besiktas Cola Turka dropped a 71-52 decision to MiZo Pecs 2010.
• Tamika Whitmore had 14 points and four caroms to aid Gambrinus Sika Brno to an 81-61 victory over Jolene Anderson and ESB Lille Metropole.
• DeLisha Milton-Jones came up with 19 points, six rebounds and six steals to help lead Ros Casares to an 88-69 win over ZVVZ USK Prague, avenging a loss to the Czech squad from earlier this season. Swin Cash had 18 points and six boards and Lindsay Whalen posted 10 points and six rebounds in their squad's losing efforts.
• UMMC Ekaterinburg remained undefeated thanks in part to 16 points, five rebounds and three steals from Cappie Pondexter in a 69-51 win over LOTOS PKO BP
• Matee Ajavon gave Fenerbache a 15-point boost as the Turkish squad took Broker Kosice 84-74.

Check back this Wednesday and Thursday - the playoff hunt begins to intensify with teams trying to wrestle their way into the next round or solidify better spots in the Round of Sixteen.