Taurasi Off To Quick Start In Russia

Looks like Diana Taurasi is back to her old self after missing most of the WNBA season with her various injuries.

Here is the game report from the Euroleague’s website www.fibaeurope.com about her first game of the season, played on Hallowee night.

UMMC Ekaterinburg didn’t set the world on fire with their first performance of the 2012-13 EuroLeague Women campaign but held on to beat Novi Zagreb in Russia on Wednesday afternoon.

Newcomer Diana Taurasi, who helped fire UMMC’s rivals Sparta&K M. R. Vidnoje to European titles in 2007, ’08, ’09 and ’10 and spent the last two seasons playing in Turkey with Fenerbahce and then Galatasaray, had 25 points for Ekaterinburg as they beat Novi Zagreb, 83-77.

Sandra Mandir, just a couple of months removed from making her Olympic debut with Croatia, led a spirited Zagreb attack with 20 points but Olaf Lange’s squad prevailed in the Group C game.

UMMC went in front by 16 points in the first half but their opponents from Croatia fought back and twice pulled level early in the third quarter.

Courtney Vandersloot’s three-pointer knotted the game for the second time at 43-43.

Taurasi went to the other end and put the hosts back in front with a three-ball of her own.

She finished three of eight from behind the arc and seven of 13 overall from the field.

Playing just one day after the announcement that Ekaterinburg would serve as hosts for this season’s Final Eight, the Russians made hard work of it the rest of the way against Zagreb.

They only led 63-60 going into last frame following a jumper by Latoya Williams for Zagreb.

Sandrine Gruda caught a pass from Anna Petrakova and made a jumper to start the last period for UMMC.

Petrakova then fed Taurasi on a fast-break and the USA international nailed a jump shot.

Gruda capped the 6-0 run with another jumper, this time after a pass from Taurasi, as Ekaterinburg established control.

A three-point play by Mirna Mazic reduced the UMMC advantage to four points with less than two minutes to go but they got no closer.

Russia’s Olympic forward Petrakova was outstanding on her EuroLeague Women bow with UMMC, scoring 14 points and corralling 10 rebounds.

Silva Dominguez, a EuroLeague Women winner the past two seasons with Perfumerias Avenida and Ros Casares, played 25 minutes and had 12 points with three assists for UMMC.