LFB 2/2009 - Rivas Ecopolis 80, Perfumerias 71 (OT)

Anna Cruz blasts by a Perfumerias defender.

It was a keynote match between Perfumerias (1-1) and Rivas Ecopolis (2-0), a pair of teams that would love to knock Ros Casares out of the LFB championship. It was also a battle between Sancho Lyttle of Perfumerias and Crystal Langhorne of Rivas Ecopolis. Lyttle won the battle of points, but Perfumerias lost the war, losing in overtime 80-71 on the road.

The box score is here.

Rivas Ecopolis started out with a 9-0 run to start the game, but Perfumerias answered with an 11-0 run of their own to take a 19-12 lead out of the first quarter. However, Rivas Ecopolis came back strong in the second quarter and only a 3-pointer by Isabel Sanchez as the buzzer expired in the second quarter put Perfumerias up at halftime, 35-33.

In the third quarter, Rivas Ecopolis went into a 2-3 zone which perplexed Perfumerias and held them to just nine third-quarter points, with the home team leading 50-45. Perfumerias - aided by Sancho Lyttle - began to win the battle in the low post and mount a comeback. Rivas Ecopolis's Clara Bermejo got banged up during the fourth quarter but managed to hit a killer three-pointer that tied the game with 21 seconds left, 66-66. Perfumerias had the ball for one last possession but couldn't score,

In the overtime, Rivas Ecopolis rolled off the first six points. Perfumerias was out of steam and was held to just five points in the overtime.

A look at the Four Factors:

Field goal percentage: Rivas Ecopolis 49 percent, Perfumerias 46 percent. If you go to effective field goal percentage, the margin is wider: Rivas Ecopolis 54 percent, Perfumerias 50 percent.
Turnovers: Rivas Ecopolis 17, Perfumerias 20. Another edge for the home team.
Offensive rebounding percentage: Rivas Ecopolis 23 percent, Perfumerias 13 percent. Perfumerias only had four offensive rebounds, two provided by Lyttle.
Free throws: Rivas Ecopolis 16-for-23, Perfumerias 15-for-26. Both teams were just about even, but Perfumerias was less accurate.

And now, a look at some high points of the game:

Rivas Ecopolis

Jelene Dubljevic: 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. 8-for-11 shooting. An outstanding game.
Petra Ujhelyi: 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Crystal Langhorne; 8 points, 6 rebounds. 3 turnovers. Langhorne currently plays for the Washington Mystics.
Cathy Joens: 8 points, 4 personal fouls. Joens last played for the Chicago Sky in 2008.

Perfumerias

Isabel Sanchez: 21 points. Sanchez was fouled nine times in the game and shot 7-for-9 from the line.
Sancho Lyttle: 23 points and 7 rebounds, but 6 turnovers. Lyttle shot 10-for-15.
Marta Dominguez: 5 points, 5 turnovers.
Le'coe Willingham: The Phoenix Mercury forward had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals in 30 minutes of play.