EUROLEAGUE Women - Stepanova impresses for Ekaterinburg

VALENCIENNES (EuroLeague Women) - Russia national team center Maria Stepanova came off the bench and scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in just 12 minutes for new club UMMC Ekaterinburg in an 85-65 win at Union Hainaut on Thursday.

CSKA Moscow dropped a bombshell last week when they announced the release of their long-time center Stepanova, who won a bronze medal with Russia this summer at the Beijing Games.

She quickly signed with Ekaterinburg and has helped them remain one of the only two unbeaten sides in the competition at 5-0 with Umana Reyer Venezia the other.

Stepanova also blocked two shots.

Poland national team star Agnieszka Bibrzycka poured in 23 points to lead Ekaterinburg. She made seven of 11 shots from long range.

Lotos PKO BP Gdynia applied the defensive clamps against ZVVZ USK Prague early on and ended up winning 71-57.

The Polish giants are now 2-3 in Group C while Prague have fallen to 1-4.

Jacek Winnicki's team outscored Prague 23-11 in the first quarter and by half-time the home side had opened up an 18-point advantage.

Natallia Marchanka, who played for Belarus at the Olympics this summer, said: "It was our best match this season. Our defense was perfect, especially in the first half when we conceded only 26 points.

"We controlled the game from the beginning. We were very determined because we had to win this game.

"Our situation is better after each game and next week we must beat Valencia. We will all do our best to do it."

MiZo Pecs won for the third time in five games with a 62-58 triumph over Bourges.

Hungary international Anna Vajda had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead MiZo.

Bourges, after a 3-0 start, have now lost two in a row.

FIBA