EUROLEAGUE WOMEN – Americans Taurasi, McCoughtry finish October with a bang!

MADRID (EuroLeague Women) - The United States players made most of the headlines at the beginning of October by storming to the title at the FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic.

They finished October with a flurry as well, coming up with big games in the EuroLeague Women.

On Thursday night, USA superstar Diana Taurasi began EuroLeague Women life as a Fenerbahce player by scoring 24 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out two assists in the Turkish giants' 91-82 victory at Rivas Ecopolis.

Rivas held their own against Fener, with Amaya Valdemoro of Spain pouring in 21 points.

They also got a good one-two punch from Americans Courtney Paris and DeWanna Bonner.

Each player had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Australia's Penny Taylor earned Player of the Week honors after pouring in 27 points, hauling in seven rebounds and handing out four assists for Fener.

There was a great performance from the USA's gold-medal winner Angel McCoughtry, who moved from Good Angels Kosice to MKB Euroleasing Sopron in the summer.

McCoughtry had 19 points, six rebounds and four steals as her new team won, 82-67, at Lotos Gdynia.

Even before the game, McCoughtry’s new coach Norbert Székely said: “She is a brilliant player, one of the best I have ever worked with.

“It is very important that Angel is a communicative, clever, good person who likes to learn.

“We have also to learn from her, and watch her, in order to use her knowledge.”

In other EuroLeague Women games on Thursday, Pecs 2010 won 66-60 over TTT Riga, Cras Basket Taranto prevailed 74-59 over Good Angels Kosice and Beretta-Famila Schio destroyed Frisco Sika Brno 89-44.

FIBA