Channon Fluker and Valerie Higgins combined for a 42 points to secure a 73-68 win for the Young Angels Košice (1-1) over Liepāja/LSSS (0-5) on Friday, December 3, at the Liepāja Olympic Center in western Latvia.
Players of the game
Channon Fluker dominated under the baskets and earned a double-double. Cal State at Northridge (CSUN) standout had 22 points and 12 rebounds for a effieciency rating of 29.
Valerie Higgins stepped up in the second half and scored 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.
Pacific graduate and the 25th pick of the 2021 WNBA draft grabbed eight rebounds and stole the ball six times for a game high efficiency rating of 31.
Dominika Urbanova scored nine points and dished out five assists.
Ketija Vihmane led Liepāja again, this time with 15 points and four steals.
Paula Kļeščova played her best game to finish it with 14 points, three steals and six forced fouls.
Maiara Pereira hit three three-pointers enroute to 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Ance Aizsila also finished in double figures. She scored 11 points.
Key stats
The Young Angels outscored the Lions in the paint 42-16 (first half 22-6).
Liepāja forced 11 turnovers and hit five three-pointers in the first half to take the lead before the break 31-34.
Košice continued to push in the paint and held Liepāja to 10 points in the third quarter 50-44.
Vihmane three pointer and steal with 1:16 to go sparked the final Liepāja run. The home team cut the gap to four points 67-63.
Aizsila three pointer put Liepāja even closer (69-66) but Higgins replied with “and one” drive to double the lead 72-66.
The Young Angels turned the ball more often (24-15) but held Liepāja to 34 percent shooting accuracy (23/67, three pointers 9/32).
Game notes
Liepāja played without point guard Maija Gertsone and forward Raivita Koreņika.
Košice captain Michaela Balažova supported the team from the sidelines.
The Young Angels will battle SBŠ Ostrava in order to qualify for the playoffs.
Schedule (local time, CET+1h)
Tuesday, November 30
Liepāja/LSSS vs Tsmoki Minsk 49:60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRVxYMnKJHg
Thursday, December 2
Tsmoki Minsk – Young Angels 74:69
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHaxbkYxd5I
Liepāja/LSSS – SBŠ Ostrava 47:59
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3gWSMCBkcQ
Friday, December 3
SBŠ Ostrava – Tsmoki Minsk 71:74
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGuqZTvBtTw
Young Angels – Liepāja/LSSS 73:68
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YtC1EB8uQs
Photos: Ģirts Gertsons
STANDINGS, as of December 3
Group B
Nika Syktyvkar 2-0 (+70)
Peresvet SFEDU 2-0 (+23)
Tsmoki Minsk 3-2 (-32) Q
SBŠ Ostrava 1-1 (+9)
Young Angels Košice 1-1 (+0)
Liepāja/LSSS 0-5 (-70)
FORMAT
Playoffs: January 17 – February 28, 2022; best-of-two
A1 – B4, A2 – B3, B2 – A3, B1 – A4
Final Four: March 25-27, 2022
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EWBL member countries so far: Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkey.
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