Overseas Update - March 13, 2009

Nolan “March”es on: The tide may be turning in Russia, where Deanna Nolan’s UMMC Ekaterinburg squad is attempting to overtake Spartak Moscow Region as the country's No. 1 team. UMMC beat Spartak in the Cup of Russia a week ago, and followed that up with an important Superleague triumph which gave them the inside track to home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The biggest meeting between the two sides is still to come on April 3, when Spartak and UMMC collide again at the EuroLeague Women Final Four in Salamanca, Spain.

As always, Nolan has been contributing across the board. She’s averaging 9.8 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game in 25 minutes per game.

Plenette powers Polkowice: Plenette Pierson is putting up big numbers (14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.6 assists per game) to keep her team, CCC Polkowice, in the top four of the Polish League standings. Pierson's team has one game left before the final seedings are locked in for the Polish League Playoffs.

Slow month for Taj and Kara: Taj McWilliams-Franklin has had an uneventful March. Her Italian squad, Famila Wuber Schio, has played only two games in the Italian Basketball League this month. She is averaging 12.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. McWilliams-Franklin went to Italy after leaving her team in Istanbul, Turkey, Galatasaray, which recently signed another Shock player – Kara Braxton. The Shock center has yet to take the floor for Galatasaray.