LFB (Spain) 18/2008 - Ibiza 85, Joventut 78

There are only eight more games left for Ibiza (9-9), and with Ibiza hanging around the eighth and final playoff spot, this is the best time for a push. Taking on fourth-place Joventut (11-7) at home, Ibiza overcame a slow start to win on the road by seven points, 85-78.

The box score is here.

At the end of the first quarter, Ibiza was down by five points - 24-19 - but Ibiza outscored the home team in the second quarter to take a 42-38 lead into halftime. Ibiza was able to hold off Joventut and even slightly extend their lead over the second half.

With Joventut shooting at a 53 percent rate in field goal percentage and Ibiza shooting 50 percent, Ibiza's win would have to be explained elsewhere in the boxscore. Ibiza rebounded slightly better overall, 32 to 29, and had slightly fewer turnovers, 12 to 15. Mostly likely, the source of Ibiza's victory was in the ability to hit eight out of ten of its free throws (Joventut hit 8 out of 14) and Ibiza hit nine 3-pointers compared to Joventut's four.

For Joventut, Linda Page had the game of day with 22 points and 14 rebounds. The North Carolina State graduate put her shooting skills to work, shooting 10 for 16. Armintie Price of the Chicago Sky would score 16 points for Joventut, and Gisela Vega Remore would score 16 points as well.

Sancho Lyttle, the new acquisition for the Atlanta Dream, scored 20 points and 12 rebounds for the second double-double of the game. Silvia Martin scored 23 points to lead all Ibiza scorers and Elsa Donaire Malagelada scored 12 points and six rebounds. Shannon Johnson added just nine points for Ibiza, shooting 3-for-14 with four assists.