Spartak Stay Perfect

Spartak Moscow Region shook off the loss of Lauren Jackson to stay perfect in EuroLeague Women with a 77-70 Group D win over Lotos Gdynia.

It was announced earlier in the day that Jackson was returning to Australia, but on this evidence Spartak have the talent to keep on rolling regardless.

Early in the game, Lotos had jumped out to a big early lead, with Erin Phillips three-pointer four minutes into the first quarter putting them on top 16-8.

But Diana Taurasi hit back with a three-pointer of her own and Spartak quickly began hauling them back in.

The lead changed hands several times through the second quarter before Spartak began to pull clear in the third, building a 54-45 lead on Edwige Lawson-Wade's three-point shot with 5:15 to go in the period.

Lotos rallied once more, but Spartak finished the quarter on an 8-0 run that put them back in front by 11, 66-55.

Lotos managed one more rally, scoring seven straight points as Alana Beard's three-pointer made it 68-63 to Spartak, with 6:12 to go.

The gap was three, 70-67, after Magdalena Leciejewska's lay-up with 5:16 to go, but Spartak's next run would put the hosts to bed for the final time.

Sylvia Fowles began it with a jump-shot, and finished it with an old-fashioned three-point play as Spartak took a 77-67 lead with 1:42 to go.

Paulina Pawlak had the final say with a three-pointer six seconds from time but it was too little too late.

Taurasi led Spartak with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Fowles finished with 13 points, Janel McCarville had 12, and Anete Jekabsone-Zogota and Lawson-Wade had 10 each.

Beard led Lotos with 22 points and seven rebounds.

Spartak improve to 4-0, while Lotos fall to 2-3.

Quotes Gdynia vs Spartak

Pokey Chatman (Spartak head coach):
"I am happy because we have never won in Gdynia before. We knew it's gonna be a tough game and we were right. We tried to change our defense during the whole game and we had a lot of players in rotation. It was the key to success."

Diana Taurasi (Spartak Moscow):
"We lost in Gdynia two years ago, I remember very hot atmosphere in a gym and great fans so we knew what to expect today. We had a lot of problems to stop Ivana Matovic and Alana Beard. It was a very close game but we had more scoring players and we won."

Jacek Winnicki (Lotos Gdynia head coach):
"Congratulations to Spartak but I also want to congratulate my girls. I am proud of them. We played very clever and tough game but it wasn't enough for Spartak. It's hard to say if we had a chance to win if Shameka Christon play today. She has a knee injury and I hope she will be ready for Fenerbahce next week."

Ivana Matovic (Lotos Gdynia):
"Spartak is the best team in Europe. We had problems to stop them in transition to offense. But we played very good and I am proud of me, my teammates and my coach."