LFB (Spain) 5-8 Series 1/2008 - Ibiza 89, Joventut 71

Okay, I think we've finally figured out what Ibiza and Sancho Lyttle are up to. They are participating in the "5-8 Series", a four-team tournament that apparently determines who finishes 5th through 8th in the Liga Femenina.

Who cares? Good question. It appears that the two finalists will get automatic spots in the 2009-10 Eurocup competition. This gives the mid-level teams something to play for.

For Ibiza, the game meant traveling to Joventut on April 19th, where they beat Joventut 89-71 in the first game of a best of three series. They can clinch the series today with a win at home.

The box score is here.

The game was tighter than you'd think. By halftime the score was only 44-43 in favor of Ibiza. In the third quarter, Ibiza could only extend their lead to four points, taking a 65-61 lead into the fourth quarter. Joventut only scored 10 points in the final 10 minutes, compared to 24 points from Ibiza.

Both teams shot equally well. Joventut made 47 percent of its attempted field goals; Ibiza made 46 percent. However, on the rebounding side Ibiza was dominant, outrebounding Joventut 43-26. Sancho Lyttle made 21 rebounds all by herself, meaning that she came close to singlehandedly outrebounding the entire Joventut team. Ibiza was also sent to the free throw line 21 times, where they made 81 percent of their attempts.

Joventut

Armintie Price: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists for the Chicago Sky player.
Murriel Page: 19 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double.
Gisela Vega Rebora: 15 points, four fouls.

Ibiza

Sancho Lyttle: 29 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 assists. A super effort from Sancho. She should have been wearing a cape.
Shannon Johnson: 27 points, 4 rebounds. Maybe she is the "Robin" to Sancho's "Batman".
Silvia Morales Martin: 17 points, 5 assists, 5 turnovers.