KURSK (EuroLeague Women 2017) – USA national team star Angel McCoughtry has announced her arrival in Russia by inspiring her new side Dynamo Kursk to a vital success against fellow EuroLeague Women challengers Nadezhda Orenburg.

MCCOUGHTRY MAKES OPENING STATEMENT

It hasn't taken McCoughtry long to exert her influence after she recorded a fine 22 points on her debut to carry Kursk to a hard-fought 69-65 win against the new look Nadezhda.

Elena Kirillova also fired 15 points against her ex-employers, with Spanish point guard Cristina Ouvina dishing out an impressive 11 assists in defeat.

Reigning champions UMMC Ekaterinburg are the only other unbeaten team along with Dynamo Kursk after they maintained their perfect start with a commanding 97-58 victory against Enisey Krasnoyarsk who were still reeling from being dumped out of EuroCup Women last week. Spanish star Alba Torrens stole the show with 25 points, while Emma Meesseman chipped in with 16.

There was also a one-sided 88-63 win for Dynamo Novosibirsk against Spartak Noginsk as Maria Riavkina netted 21 points.

HOME COMFORT IN LFB

The French League witnessed a full house of home victories over the weekend with the biggest of those coming from Villeneuve d’Ascq who beat their EuroLeague Women rivals Basket Lattes Montpellier Agglomeration 70-59. It was a real team effort as Alina Iagupova, Johanne Gomis and Marielle Amant all corralled a double-digit points return.

Tango Bourges Basket proved too strong for Mondeville as Marine Johannes produced a smart shooting effort for 12 points in a 70-49 triumph.

Basket Landes cruised to a big 76-55 success against fellow EuroCup Women entrants Flammes Carolo Basket as Celine Dumerc went up against her Rio replacement Amel Bouderra and came out on top with 19 points.

There was a 66-50 success for Nice as 16 points from Victoria Macaulay carried the Angels past Tarbes, while Nantes Reze inked a comfortable 75-61 win against Hainaut thanks mainly to 20 points from the in-form Katherine Plouffe.

SOPRON SENSATIONAL IN HUNGARY

No doubt stung by an unexpected domestic defeat in their previous Hungarian League outing, it was PINKK-Pesci 424 who felt the backlash from Uniqa Sopron as the defending champions posted an awesome 107-55 victory. Opals forward Cayla George led the way with 18 points and fellow Olympian Aleksandra Crvendakic pulled down 11 rebounds as no fewer than six players registered double-digit point tallies.

Another EuroLeague Women side in CMB Cargo Uni Gyor conquered ZTE Noi Kosarlabda 76-52, while PEAC-Pecs continued their momentum after making it to the EuroCup Women 2017 Regular Season with a 77-55 win against MTK Budapest as Jessica Kuster top scored with 23 points, while teenage young gun Dorka Juhasz enhanced her rapidly burgeoning reputation with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE

Umana Reyer Venezia posted an eye-catching 68-47 win against Passalacqua Ragusa in the battle of the two EuroCup Women clubs in Italy, as Ashleigh Fontenette dropped 18 points.

Beretta Famila Schio powered their way to a 97-54 victory against Carispezia La Spezia, Laura Macchi rolling back the years with a sparkling 24 points.

Wisla Can-Pack bounced back from defeat in their previous BLK outing to complete a 71-65 road win at Sleza Wroclaw with Meighan Simmons and Ewelina Kobryn combining for 40 points, while CCC Polkowice had Marta Urbaniak to thank for the 20 points that catapulted them to a 74-66 home triumph against JAS-FBG Zaglebie Sosnowiec.

The big two in Czech Republic also won as ZVVZ USK Prague waltzed past Hradec Kralove 77-51 as Laia Palau handed out 10 assists, while Basketball Nymburk were too strong for BLK Slavia Prague with a 77-66 victory.

That same pattern continued in Liga Femenina where both Perfumerias Avenida and Spar Citylift Girona remained unbeaten. Adaora Elonu added 17 points for the former as they blasted away Mann Filter Zaragoza 71-34, while Girona won 88-52 at Gran Canaria off the back of a double-double from Greek forward Artemis Spanou who finished with 18 points and 10 boards.

FIBA