SAMARA, RUSSIA, Oct. 16 -- The WNBA Select team had its toughest test of the tournament tonight, going up against UMMC-Ekaterinbourg. When the final buzzer sounded, it was UMMC-Ekaterinbourg 68, WNBA Select 54.

At tipoff it was all-WNBA vs. all-WNBA as UMMC started WNBA players DeLisha Milton, Svetlana Abrosimova, Ticha Penicheiro, Sheryl Swoopes and Natalie Williams. The first non-WNBA player took the floor with 2:10 left in the first quarter with Anna Arkipova subbing for Penicheiro, as Andrea Stinson of the Charlotte Sting came in for UMMC as well.

UMMC's six WNBA stars -- Milton, Abrosimova, Penicheiro, Swoopes, Williams and Stinson -- led the team to a win over the WNBA Select team.

Cold shooting hindered the WNBA team in the first quarter as they managed only three of 15 for 20 percent from the floor. UMMC came out hot with DeLisha Milton and Sheryl Swoopes helping UMMC to a 20-10 lead with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter. But it was Natalie Williams’ post play that made the difference for UMMC in the opening period. She shot 57 percent, pulled down six rebounds and was the game’s leading scorer at the end of the first quarter with 11 points. Marie Ferdinand led the WNBA with four points, while Adrian Williams and Cheryl Ford each pulled down four rebounds.

The WNBA Select team’s rebounding effort kept them in the game in the second quarter, while UMMC’s shooting cooled off. The WNBA team pulled down 13 rebounds with Cheryl Ford adding four more to her first quarter total and Adrian Williams adding three. Kara Lawson and Coretta Brown each added four points in the second, while Sheryl Swoopes scored five points and DeLisha Milton four for UMMC.

UMMC outscored the WNBA Select team in the second quarter 14-12, and at the end of the half, UMMC led by 39-26. Lidi Milkova and Diana Gustilina were the only non-WNBA players to score before the end of the half, adding five points for UMMC.

Coming out of the half, the WNBA Select team outrebounded UMMC by a margin of 13-8 in the third quarter but getting the ball to fall was still a struggle as the team managed to sink only four of 14 shots. Cheryl Ford added another four to her rebounding total and Michelle Snow contributed three. Nikki Teasley and LaToya Thomas each scored four points to keep the WNBA within striking distance. DeLisha Milton and Sheryl Swoopes were the stars for UMMC in third, scoring five and four points respectively, with Milton also pulling down four rebounds. In the third UMMC outscored the WNBA by 15-14, and were leading at the end of the third 54-40.

The WNBA had its best quarter in the fourth, matching UMMC shot-for-shot. But for the first time in the game UMMC outrebounded the WNBA by a margin of 12-7. DeLisha Milton pulled down three of those rebounds and was helped out by teammates Swoopes, Williams and Stinson, who each had two. Kara Lawson added four points for the WNBA and Adrian Williams three. With both teams adding 14 points in the fourth, the young players of the WNBA Select team weren’t able to overcome UMMC’s powerful line-up of WNBA veterans and UMMC prevailed 68-54.

Leading scorers for the WNBA: Kara Lawson (11), Nikki Teasley & LaToya Thomas (7)
Leading scorers for UMMC: DeLisha Milton (20), Sheryl Swoopes (16), Natalie Williams (12)

Leading rebounders for the WNBA: Cheryl Ford (13), Adrian Williams (11), Michelle Snow (6)
Leading rebounders with UMMC: DeLisha Milton (13), Natalie Williams (10), Sheryl Swoopes (6)

Postgame Press Conference: Cheryl Ford Q: What did you think of the game? A: "It was a great game, and we gave a great effort, but we had a lot of turnovers. I think that is what hurt us most. Also, we need to execute better on offense. Ekaterinbourg is a great team; every player on the team is good. But this game helped prepare us for the final game, so it was useful in that way." Q: Why don’t you have a contract with a European team? A: "Right now, I just don’t want to play overseas." Postgame Press Conference: DeLisha Milton Q: How did you get so many good WNBA players on your team? A: "I played for UMMC-Ekaterinbourg last year, and I came back and told my fellow players what a great time I had. They began to think of it as a place that perhaps they could play. So I told the president of my team and he got them to do it." Q: What did you think of the game? A: "Playing against the WNBA Select team gave us a great deal of competition and helped us prepare for the final game." Postgame Press Conference: Michael Cooper Q: Are you sad that you lost the game? A: "Well, I am a competitor and as a coach, I always want to win. But this was the first time we played this team, and I think now our players understand the game and how the officiating will be." Q: What do you think about the next time you play this team? A: "Hopefully, we will get a chance to play this team again. I would rather lose this game and win the final game for the Cup. If we meet again, the game will be intense." Q: Were you happy with tonight’s performance? A: "I think what we showed tonight was 70-75% of what we can do. We can rebound better and execute our offense better. And if we play good defense, we have a better than 100% chance to win."

Walker

Arcain

Highlights from Other WNBA Players in Action:

Wooribank Hansae 80, Sao Paulo 75
DeMya Walker (Sacramento Monarchs) scored 31 points as she led Wooribank Hansae to an 80-75 victory over Sa Paulo (Brazil). Janeth Arcain (Houston Comets) had 26 points and eight rebounds and Tiffani Johnson grabbed 11 boards in the loss.

Wauters

Feaster

US Valenciennes Olympic 104, Mambas 26
Ann Wauters (Cleveland Rockers '02) had 18 points and eight rebounds and Allison Feaster (Charlotte Sting) had six points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals as US Valenciennes Olympic defeated Mambas de Mozambique 104-26. Mambas is the lone team in the World Cup without a WNBA player on its roster.


Volgaburmash Samara 72, Canberra Capitals 56

Jackson

Stepanova

Maria Stepanova (Phoenix Mercury '01) had 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead Volgaburmash Samara to a 72-56 victory over the Canberra Capitals. Mwadi Mabika also contributed seven points and 12 rebounds. Lauren Jackson had 26 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.