USA/ESP – MVP Taurasi rolls with the punches

VALENCIA (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - Legend.

It’s the only way to describe Diana Taurasi, a player who collects championships, gold medals and MVP awards as if they were entitlements.

A two-time Olympic winner with Team USA, an NCAA champion with the University of Connecticut and in the WNBA, a four-time winner of the EuroLeague Women with Spartak Moscow Region - Taurasi has no equals.

In Sunday’s 87-80 victory over Ros Casares at La Fonteta in Valencia, a result that clinched the 2010 European crown for Spartak, Taurasi put on another show.

She hit three-pointers and drove into the lane for acrobatic lay-ups on the way to a game-high 29 points.

Taurasi was named EuroLeague Women Final Four MVP for the second year in a row.

None of it came easy.

“It was the most difficult and physical game I’ve ever played in,” Taurasi said.

“Each shot, each pass, each rebound were difficult because it was contested by them everywhere.

“I can’t feel my body right now.

“But I guess if you do, you didn’t play hard enough. Everyone on both teams really gave their all. It’s special to watch.”

The fans lucky enough to watch the Final Four in Valencia were getting a sneak preview of what’s to come later this year at the FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic.

Ilona Korstin of Russia came off the bench and contributed 16 vital points for Spartak, and Team USA’s Sue Bird played again like one of the best floor generals in the game.

It was Janel McCarville who really impressed for Spartak, though.

Not named in the USA Basketball women’s national team squad for 2010-12, McCarville showed she’s certainly one of the best players in the world with a 20-point, 13-rebound effort for Spartak.

She very easily could have been named MVP.

Twenty points and 13 rebounds?

“Not too bad,” McCarville said with a big smile. “I might have to Tweet about this. Everyone knows what Diana Taurasi can do, Sylvia Fowles and Sue Bird, Ilona Korstin – we have so many weapons on this team.

“I try to be as unselfish as possible to get them open shots.

“When people d (defend) them up as they did today, leave me open, you can only guard so much on the court and I was open most of the time.”

“McCarville and Korstin came out really well,” Taurasi said.

“They were prepared and made the difference in the game.”

Spartak, even in a season when their inspirational owner, Shabtai von Kalmanovic, was shot and killed in the streets of Moscow back on November 2, won the title.

“I think this was the sweetest by far,” an emotional Taurasi said.

“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. A lot of things have happened to us personally, and it hasn’t been easy on the court, either.

“We’ve had some progression month by month and it has been fun to watch.”

If anyone could have stopped Spartak, it was Ros Casares.

They have a glittering array of international talent, including USA’s Olympic champion in Beijing, Delisha Milton-Jones.

They also have Spain national team stars Elisa Aguilar, Laia Palau, Anna Montanana and Amaya Valdemoro, Brazil center Erika De Souza, Czech forward Jana Vesela and Australia star Belinda Snell.

Despite that incredible firepower, Ros failed just as UMMC Ekaterinburg had in their Semi-Final setback to Spartak on Friday.

“Spartak have proved why they have won the last four EuroLeagues,” Ros coach Isma Canto said.

“In order to beat this team, you have to be 100%.

“We made small mistakes that allowed them to remain in front.

“We tried in the second half, but it wasn’t enough.”

A record crowd for a EuroLeague Women game of more than 7,800 created an electric atmosphere inside La Fonteta.

“I think it’s the best place I’ve played in Europe,” Taurasi said.

“What we’ve experienced today, you cannot describe in words.”

FIBA