LAT – France upset Russia to clinch first in Group F; Italy, Belarus reach Quarters
RIGA (EuroBasket Women) - Becky Hammon made her EuroBasket bow for Russia on Monday night but her inclusion in the national side several games into the competition wasn’t a recipe for success against France. Pierre Vincent’s Les Bleues remained unbeaten in Latvia at 6-0 after beating Russia 72-66 in the last Qualifying Round game of the ...
RIGA (EuroBasket Women) - Becky Hammon made her EuroBasket bow for Russia on Tuesday night but her inclusion in the national side several games into the competition wasn’t a recipe for success against France.
Pierre Vincent’s Les Bleues remained unbeaten in Latvia at 6-0 after beating Russia 72-66 in the last Qualifying Round game of the competition.
Celine Dumerc hit four of six shots from long range and scored 16 points while also dishing out four assists for the French, who also got a team-high 17 points and six rebounds from Sandrine Gruda.
The win clinched first place in Group F for France and threw them into a Quarter-Final against surprise package Greece, the fourth-place team in Group E.
Hammon, the American guard of CSKA Moscow who played for Russia at last year’s Olympics and won a bronze medal, missed the country's five victories while on WNBA duty with the San Antonio Silver Stars.
She has joined the Russians for the stretch run of the EuroBasket as they attempt to qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic and also defend their European title.
Hammon, who arrived in Latvia on Monday after a very long day of flying from the United States (she went from Phoenix to San Antonio to New York to Copenhagen to Riga), had a game-high 18 points for Russia and Maria Stepanova scored 16.
The Russians, who turned the ball over 20 times, must now take on hosts Latvia in their Quarter-Finals and then face Spain in a potential Semi-Final.
Also on Tuesday, Italy clinched their spot in the last eight with a 72-58 win over Lithuania.
The Azzurre had trailed 37-31 at half-time but fought back to win with Faenza star Marte Alexander scoring 17 points and pulling down seven rebounds.
Turkey also bowed out of the competition after losing 86-70 to Belarus, who advanced to the last eight with the triumph.
Quarter-Finals:
Wednesday: Slovakia v Belarus, Spain v Italy
Thursday: Greece v France, Latvia v Russia.
FIBA