It was a big week for New York Liberty players competing overseas as a pair of big international tournaments officially tipped off in the Euroleague and Eurocup action, and Liberty players continued to excel in their domestic and international competition.
One of the highlights of the week came when Tanisha Wright’s Abdullah Gul squad faced Shavonte Zellous and Besiktas in the Turkish league, with Wright’s team picking up a 66-56 win. Wright finished the game with 15 points and 8 assists, while Zellous scored 12 points with 3 boards and a pair of assists, playing all 40 minutes for Besiktas.
In Slovakia, Rebecca Allen continues to stand out as one of the most versatile players in the league. In addition to helping lead Good Angels to a win in its EuroCup debut, Allen poured in 22 points in a win over Cassovia K in Slovakian play, and now ranks 14th in the league in scoring, averaging 15.2 ppg.
Amanda Zahui B and Epiphanny Prince both picked up Euroleague and Russian PBL wins this week, and Sugar Rodgers helped guide Osmaniye to a 2-0 start in Turkey.
LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Amanda Zahui B – Nadezhda Orenburg
Based on her huge performance in the first Euroleague game of her career, Amanda Zahui B is this week’s Liberty International Player of the Week. She turned in a monster stat line in the win over Turkey’s Hatay (featuring Courtney Paris), scoring 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks in just 28 minutes. She also continues to rank 8th in the Russian PBL with 15.2 ppg.
Slovakia-Extraliga (6-1, Ranked 2nd)
Eurocup Group D (1-0, Ranked 1st)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #5 R. ALLEN (Slovakia) | 6 | 19.0 | 26 | 51 | .510 | 7 | 14 | .500 | 18 | 22 | .818 | 4.2 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 15.2 |
| #5 R. ALLEN (EuroCup) | 1 | 11.0 | 2 | 3 | .667 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 6 | .667 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 |
Rebecca Allen continues to be a standout in the Slovakian league, as she ranks amongst the league leaders in scoring, steals, and assists, and helped Good Angels pick up a lopsided 109-22 win over Cassovia K. last weekend. Allen played just 24 minutes as a starter, but nailed three 3-pointers to finish with 22 points. In six league games, Allen ranks 4th in the league in scoring (15.2 ppg), 10th in steals (2.2 spg) and 2nd in blocked shots (1.8 bpg). Good Angels also opened up EuroCup play with an 82-67 win over Miskolc. Allen came off the bench to play just 11 minutes, finishing with 8 points and 4 rebounds. Good Angels will play Eurocup and Slovakia league games.
Poland-TBLK (0-6, Ranked 12th)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #30 C. SWORDS (Poland) | 5 | 30.2 | 25 | 51 | .490 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 11 | 16 | .688 | 12.2 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 12.2 |
Carolyn Swords was limited to 22 minutes in Basket Gdynia’s 84-48 loss to Sleza Wroclaw over the weekend. Swords finished with 6 points and 7 rebounds off the bench, shooting 2-for-3 from the field. Her rebounding numbers continue to be some of the best in the league, hauling in 12.2 boards per game which ranks second in the Polish TBLK. She is back in action this weekend as Basket Gdynia looks for its 1st win of the season against MKK Siedlce.
Poland-TBLK (4-2, Ranked 4th)
Euroleague Group B (0-1, Ranked 5th)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #15 B. BOYD (Poland) | 1 | 28.0 | 2 | 9 | .222 | 2 | 7 | .286 | 1 | 2 | .500 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 11.0 |
| #15 B. BOYD (Euroleague) | 1 | 21.0 | 4 | 9 | .444 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 |
Brittany Boyd made her international debut for CCC Polkowice last week, seeing her first action in a Euroleague group play contest, then competing in Poland’s TBLK over the weekend. In a 90-82 loss to UNIQA-Eurol. in the Euroleague group game, Boyd came off the bench to score 8 points with 4 assists. Three days later she made her first start, logging 28 minutes in a 91-68 setback to Wisla Can-Pack, scoring 11 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Boyd and CCC Polkowice will once again play Euroleague and Polish matches in the upcoming week.
Russia-PBL (6-0, Ranked 1st)
EuroLeague Group A (1-0, Ranked 1st)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #10 E. PRINCE (Russia) | 5 | 26.2 | 15 | 31 | .484 | 2 | 6 | .333 | 6 | 9 | .667 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 8.4 |
| #10 E. PRINCE (EuroLeague) | 1 | 32.0 | 5 | 8 | .625 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 12.0 |
Two more wins for Dynamo Kursk as they remained unbeaten in the Russian Premier League and opened up Euroleague Group action with a victory. Prince started and turned in a strong performance in the narrow 67-61 victory over Wisla Can-Pack, scoring 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting inside the arc, with 4 rebounds and 2 assists. In a big 85-47 win over Dynamo-Moscow in the Russian League, Prince was held scoreless in 19 minutes, but did have two assists. She is averaging 8.4 points, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game so far this year in the Russian League. Prince and Dynamo Kursk will again play Euroleague and Russian PBL games in the upcoming week.
Russia-PBL (5-1, Ranked 4th)
Euroleague Group B (1-0, Ranked 3rd)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #17 A. ZAHUI B (Russia) | 5 | 24.3 | 29 | 44 | .659 | 2 | 5 | .400 | 12 | 13 | .923 | 5.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 15.2 |
| #17 A. ZAHUI B (EuroLeague) | 1 | 28.0 | 5 | 12 | .417 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 8 | 10 | .800 | 11.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 18.0 |
Amanda Zahui B had already been great is the Russian Premier League, but enjoyed a spectacular Euroleague debut last week as well, scoring 18 points with 11 rebounds and 2 blocks in a 70-58 win over Hatay from the Turkish league. She also helped Nadezhda Orenburg improve to 5-1 in the Russian league, as they picked up an easy 67-44 win over Chevakata, with Zahui B coming off the bench to log just 15 minutes, but she still scored 13 points with 6 rebounds. Her 15.2 ppg so far in the Russian PBL ranks 8th overall in the league. Zahui B and Nadezhda will again play Euroleague and Russian League games in the coming week.
Turkey-KBSL (2-0, Ranked 4th)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #14 S. RODGERS (Turkey) | 2 | 42.0 | 3 | 13 | .231 | 6 | 13 | .462 | 7 | 11 | .636 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 15.5 |
Sugar Rodgers and Osmaniye remained unbeaten in the Turkish KBSL with a 70-65 win over Botas. Rodgers did not enjoy as high a scoring game as she had last week, finishing with 6 points and doing most of her damage at the line, but she made an impact in other ways with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Her 6.5 assists per game currently rank 10th in the league. Rodgers and Osmaniye return to action against Yakin Dogu on Nov. 5.
Turkey-KBSL (2-0, Ranked 1st)
EuroCup Group B (1-0, Ranked 1st)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #30 T. WRIGHT (Turkey) | 2 | 40.0 | 11 | 28 | .393 | 1 | 3 | .333 | 11 | 13 | .846 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 18.0 |
| #30 T. WRIGHT (EuroCup) | 1 | 35.0 | 8 | 14 | .571 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 19.0 |
Tanisha Wright is continuing her impressive start to the international season as Abdullah Gul is now 2-0 in the Turkish KBSL in addition to getting off to a great start in Eurocup Group Play. Abdullah was a 65-47 winner over PINKK-Pecsi from the Italian league in EuroCup Group B, with Wright scoring 19 points with 8 assists in the win. In its lone Turkish game of the week, Wright was stellar once again, scoring 15 points with 8 more assists in a 66-56 win over Liberty teammate Shavonte Zellous and Besiktas. Wright’s 6.5 assists per game ranks 9th in Turkey through the first 2 weeks of the season. Abdullah faces PEAC-Pecsi and Mersin in EuroCup and Turkish league games this week.
Turkey-KBSL (0-2, Ranked 11th)
| GM | MIN | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3FG | 3FGA | 3FG% | FTM | FTA | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | |
| #2 S. ZELLOUS (Turkey) | 2 | 37.0 | 9 | 26 | .346 | 1 | 8 | .125 | 5 | 6 | .833 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 0,0 | 0.0 | 13.0 |
Shavonte Zellous and Besiktas Instanbul fell to 0-2 in the Turkish KBSL after suffering a 66-56 setback to Tanisha Wright’s Abdullah Gul squad over the weekend. Zellous scored 12 points and knocked down a 3-pointer for Besiktas, playing all 40 minutes in the loss. Over two games, she is averaging 13.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Zellous is back in action on Nov. 5 when her team will face Adana ASKI.