DeLisha Milton-Jones Aids EuroLeague Club to Victory

Nov. 5, 2009 - 2009-10 EuroLeague Results & Standings

DeLisha Milton-Jones led her team to its second EuroLeague victory.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist DeLisha Milton-Jones and Ros Casares Valencia traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, where they recorded their second lopsided victory in as many EuroLeague contests with a 78-48 drubbing of TEO Vilnius. Milton-Jones, who is beginning her fourth season with the Spanish club, scored a game-best 23 points and dished out five assists in the win. Ros was also helped by Brazilian Erica de Souza's 14 points and eight boards, while Spaniard Anna Montañana posted 10 points. TEO's bright spots came from a pair of Americans as Quanitra Hollinsgworth (12) and Renee Montgomery (10) both scored in double digits.

USA leading the Pack
The three top scorers in EuroLeague play after the conclusion of Week 2 have all collected gold medals for the USA. Diana Taurasi, with just one game in the books, holds the top spot with 27 points, DeLisha Milton-Jones' 24.0 ppg. average is second, while Crystal Langhorne is close behind at 23.5 ppg. Americans also round out the top two spots in rebounding: Janel Burse (14.0 rpg.) and Quanitra Hollingsworth (12.5 rpg.).

Spartak Moscow Region Game Postponed
In the week's biggest news, Spartak Moscow Region's second game, to be played Wednesday against Tarbes Gespe Bigorre, was postponed due to the due to the tragic and sudden death of Spartak Moscow Owner, CEO and General Manager Shabtai von Kalmanovic on Monday.

This Week's Highlighted Games …
UMMC Ekaterinburg 79, Cras Basket Taranto 72
In a back-and-forth game, EuroLeague Final Four participants UMMC had a close encounter with Italian side Cras Basket Taranto. UMMC found itself trailing 25-18 at the end of the first quarter and 43-39 at halftime, but came out of the locker room to close the gap to 61-60 with 10 minutes remaining on Taranto's home court. With 5:42 remaining in the game, the Russian club trailed by four points, 70-66. Poland national Agnieszka ‘Biba' Bibrzycka converted a steal into a bucket with 4:00 remaining on the clock and France's Sandrine Gruda hit UMMC's next two baskets to take a 72-70 lead with 2:08 to play. Neither team was able to do much until Maria Stepanova scored a traditional 3-point play with 22 ticks on the clock to put her side up 75-72 and UMMC took the eventual 79-72 victory.

Biba top-scored with 20 points, Gruda had 16, Belgium national Ann Wauters notched 14 and Deanna Nolan scored 11. Americans Megan Mahoney (17 points) and Rebekkah Brunson (14 points) helped Taranto keep the game close. Also scoring in double digits for the losing side were Jami Montagnino (16 points) and Kathy Wambe (13 points).

Baretta Famila Schio 92, ESB Lille Metropole 70
Beretta-Famila remained undefeated at 2-0 with a lopsided 92-70 win at home against ESB Lille, but the Italian squad didn't get any breathing room until late in the third quarter. Owning a slim one-point, 40-39, lead at the half, Schio was up by just three late in the third, 48-45, but powered through the closing minutes of the quarter to open up the contest 66-53. Baretta-Famila finished then night with six players who scored in double digits, including Marissa Coleman with 11 points. Leading the club was Raffaella Masciadri's 19 points. Emilie Gomis top-scored for the losing side with 25 points, while Jolene Anderson hit for 15 points and grabbed seven boards.

Rivas Ecópolis 83, ZVVZ USK Prague 76
Recent USA National Team training camp participant Crystal Langhorne is a big reason newcomer Rivas Ecópolis is now 2-0 in EuroLeague play this season. She posted a double-double of 32 points and 11 boards as Rivas took down ZVVZ USK Prague 83-76. Cathrine Kraayeveld and Lindsay Whalen both scored in double digits for Prague with 17 and 16 points apiece, while Czech national Katerina Elhotova posted a team-best 18 points in Prague's loss.

Bourges Basket 64, Good Angels Kosice 53
Despite receiving 16 points and nine rebounds from Candice Dupree, the Good Angels Kosice fell to Essence Carson (13 points, 4 steals, 5 rebounds) and Bourges Basket 64-53. French National Team member Endene Miyem led Bourges with 16 points as the French side broke a 31-31 halftime tie to even its EuroLeague record to 1-1.

Frisco Sika Brno 74, Fenerbache 66
Playing their first EuroLeague contest at home, Frisco Sika Brno gave their fans something to cheer about in a 74-66 victory over the Turk club Fenerbache. Brno jumped out early and took a 47-28 lead into the halftime break. Perhaps feeling a little overconfident, Brno was outscored 19-9 in the third quarter, allowing Fenerbache to close to 56-47 at the end of the third quarter. However, the Czech team regrouped and held off the Turkish side in the fourth quarter for the eventual victory. Led by Czech stalwart Eva Viteckova's 19 points, the Brno side was aided by a double-double from Taj McWilliams-Franklin of 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Brno's other American, DeWanna Bonner, scored 17 points and grabbed eight boards. Nicole Powell and Aussie Penny Taylor each scored 16 points in the loss.

Lotos Gdynia 73, Szeviép Szeged 68
Shameka Christon's 19 points helped lead Lotos Gdynia to its first EuroLeague win with a close 73-68 win over Szeviép Szeged. Lotos broke a 49-49 tie late in the third quarter and took a 56-51 lead into the final stanza. The game remained close and with just over a minute to play Charde Houston converted on a 3-point play to pull her side to 67-64. However, Lotos hit 6-of-6 from the line down the stretch and was able to hold off any late charge from the visitors for the win. Serbian Ivana Matovic scored 16 points and Aussie Erin Phillips notched 14 for Lotos; while Houston poured in 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the losing effort.

Additional Noteworthy Performances of the Week

• Sophia Young poured in 30 points as her Galatasary club climbed out of a 48-40 hole in the second half to claim a 66-60 victory over TTT Riga and remain undefeated in EuroLeague play this season.
  
• Sancho Lyttle led Avenida with 17 points, 10 rebounds and five steals while Russian center Olga Podkovalnikova finished with 15 points as the Spanish club defeated Gospic Croatia 75-52.
  
• Behind Janel Burse's 18 points and 15 rebounds and 22 points from Brazilian Iziane Castro Marques, Wisla Can-Pack remained undefeated with an 85-78 victory over MiZo Pécs 2010. Nicole Ohlde led MiZo with 17 points and Kelly Mazzante posted 14 points in the loss.
  
• Serbian Jelena Milovanovic scored a game-high 21 points and Amber Holt pitched in 16 as MKB Euroleasing Sopron downed KSSSE AZS-PWSZ Gorzow 78-64.