LFB (Spain) 8/2008 - Olesa 65, Extrugasa 48

It would have been unimaginable to think that Extrugasa (2-6) would have the same number of wins in (theoretically harder) Eurocup than they would in the Liga Feminina. After starting 2-1, Extrugasa had lost four straight games - the last two by two points or less. Unfortunately for Extrugasa, they would lose their fifth straight game in Spanish league play with a 65-48 loss to Olesa (6-2).

The boxscore is here.

It wasn't the best day for Extrugasa. They lost the first quarter 17-12 to the visitors and the game slipped away a little bit more each quarter. By three points in the second quarter. By another point in the third. Down 42-33 after thirty minutes, Olesa won the final quarter by their biggest per-quarter margin and almost won by twenty points.

Olesa didn't necessarily have a hotter shooting hand - both teams shot about the same. Both were horrible behind the 3-point line. Both had about the same number of rebounds. Where did Extrugasa lose the game?

Above all, they couldn't hold onto the ball. They turned the ball over 23 points compared to the 14 turnovers of Olesa. But more than any other factor, they sent Olesa to the line free throw line 25 times. Whereas Extrugasa went to the line eight times, and only hit four of them. Twenty of Olesa's points were giveaway.

Mandisa Stevenson finally got a chance to show her stuff for Extrugasa. She scored 13 points and eight rebounds for Extrugasa in her Spanish debut. Katia Da Silva scored 12 points - but had seven turnovers.

Tamera Young scored 10 points and eight rebounds for Extrugasa, but turned over the ball five times and ended up fouling out, playing only 23 minutes. It wasn't exactly a game for Tamera to remember.

As for Olesa, Olga Podkovalnikova scored 18 points and six rebounds, and Crystal Kelly had a double-double for the visitors with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Kelly was a rookie this year for the Sacramento Monarchs. Anna Cruz Lebrato scored 10 points and Tracy Reid - who last played for the Phoenix Mercury - scored six points.