Perfumerías Avenida Salamanca conceded its second defeat in the Euroleague -also second in a row after losing the unbeaten league against Spar Girona- losing to Euroleague champion UMMC Ekaterinburg in an all-out fight to impose offensive talent (110-102). The Russian champion, despite the losses of Griner or Stewart, showed that he has a truly luxurious squad that he endured, even with advantages on the scoreboard of up to six points the charro team, which saw its options to surprise begin to fade to the team that beat him seven months ago in the final in Turkey, in the last five minutes.
Until then, Roberto Iñiguez’s team was able to assert its great success in attack, despite the weak defense to reach the break at 52-58, with Khaleah Cooper showing that he can be one of the sensations of the competition to shine. to her WNBA title where she was chosen the most valued player in the final. The awakening of Jones, dominating in both areas, forming a scoring triumvirate with her compatriots Quigely and Bentley, together with the experience of Alba Torrens, supplied the shallowest depth of the Russian bench, where only the international Vadeeva joined the offensive party exceeding twenty points and dominating with its wingspan.
The Salamanca team lacked more arguments to accompany Cooper and, in bursts, Katie Lou Samuelson, despite the fact that from the bench Fasoula and Vilaró, together with the consistency of Cazorla, allowed them to reach the final stretch still alive (98-94 ) where a foul on Jones, accompanied by a technique to the bench, ended the options for a few tighter last seconds.