USA – Another MVP for Taurasi as Spartak clinch Fourth straight European crown

VALENCIA (EuroLeague Women) - Diana Taurasi put an exclamation point on another magnificent season in the EuroLeague on Sunday by leading Spartak Moscow Region to their fourth consecutive title in the competition.

The USA international followed up her 37-point explosion in Spartak’s 87-79 win over UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Semi-Finals with a game-high 29 in an 87-80 triumph over Final Four hosts Ros Casares in Sunday’s championship game.

Taurasi was voted MVP of the Final Four for the second straight year.

"This is probably the sweetest of them all," Taurasi said of the title.

In a game featuring many players that will compete at the FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic, an outstanding display by someone who won’t be in Ostrava with Team USA - Spartak’s American center Janel McCarville – played a pivotal role for Spartak.

McCarville had 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Russia international Ilona Korstin contributed 16.

Spartak, whose owner Shabtai von Kalmanovic died tragically on November 2, wore t-shirts after the game that read 'This is 4 Shabtai'.

A EuroLeague Women Final Four record 7,800 spectators watched Sunday’s Final in La Fonteta.

Brazil international Erika De Souza scored 12 points for Ros Casares, who got 13 from Team USA’s 28 Olympic gold-medal winner Delisha Milton-Jones.

Another USA international, Candace Parker, had 21 points and six steals as UMMC Ekaterinburg hammered Wisla Can-Pack Krakow 84-50 in the third-place game.

Ros had thrashed Wisla in their Semi-Final, 86-57, on Friday.

FIBA