Rhondda in Europe

Faenze Palacanestro (Italy) 12, 13[25], 26[51], 24[75] Coca Cola Rhondda Rebels 20, 24[44], 21[65], 25[90]

Rhondda Rebels saved the best till last, as, having lost their first five games in Group K of the FIBA Europe Women's Cup, they finally put on a performance they could be proud of, to defeat Faenza Palacanestro in Italy.

The lead changed hands eight times in the first six minutes, before Rhondda edged away to take a 12-20 lead by the end of the first quarter, with two 3-pointers from England International Andrea Congreaves contributing to their total.

It was in the second quarter, though, that the Rebels took control of the game, as they held their hosts scoreless for the first four minutes, while they hit 12 unanswered points themselves (including two "3"s from Laurie Koehn). All their hosts could manage in reply was the next 4 points, from the line, before another unanswered ten (with two more "treys" from Koehn) put the Rebels 16-42 to the good.

Faenze's first field-goal of the quarter came from beyond the arc by Francini, but by then 7½ minutes had elapsed, and Rhondda took a comfortable 25-44 lead into the locker room.

The Italian crowd's hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed, as Koehn answered Coelho's opening score of the third quarter with her fifth 3-pointer of the night, to restore a 20-point lead, 27-47, and her sixth "trey" a few minutes later, made it 31-52.

Four minutes into the third period, Rhondda enjoyed their biggest lead of the second half, 31-55, and though a brief Faenze revival brought the hosts seven unanswered points (44-59), the visitors steadied to end the quarter still with a substantial lead, 51-65.

Rhondda strengthened their lead with the first seven points of the final quarter, and though the Italian side fought back to trail by just ten, at 64-74, the Rebels steadied to pull away again to 66-84 with just 1:14 on the clock, to ensure that the points were safe.

The victory was a great morale booster to Rhondda ahead of their National Cup Final in eleven days time, but the win was not enough to lift them off the foot of the four-team table, and they were left to reflect that for the second year running they had left their winning performance until qualification for the next stage of the competition was beyond their reach.

Rhondda: Koehn 33; Lewis 19; Lender 13; Mason 11; Congreaves 10 (+9 reb); d'Hondt 4 (+9 reb); Zekite; Kaznica;

Faenze: Francini 22; Ballardini 19; Coelho 18; Pastore 8; Jokic 5; Casadio 3;

Hondarriba Irun 77 (26, 15, 14, 22) Coca Cola Rhondda Rebels 86 (19, 13, 18, 17)

Despite a better overall performance from the Rebels, they still went down by ten in their latest European match, in Spain.

The visitors proved more than a match for their hosts from beyond the arc, as they hit 7 of 22 (including 5 from 15 for Laurie Koehn), compared with 1 of 5 by Hondarriba. However, the game was effectively lost at the line, where the Rebels hit four from six, but gave up seventeen free-throws to their opponents - of which they gratefully converted sixteen!

Rhondda: Koehn 19 pts; Congreaves 12 + 10 reb; T Lewis 12; Lender 11; d'Hondt 7; Mason 6; Kaznika; Zekite; Staley [dnp]; Gooch [dnp]; S Lewis [dnp];

Hondarriba: Muriel Page 17 pts + 14 reb.; Brown 13; Zurro 12; Delgado Diaz-Guemes 12; Helde 9;

Coca Cola Rhondda Rebels 56 (18, 16, 13, 9) Faence Palacanestro (Italy) 66 (15, 13, 24, 16)

A much better performance from the Rebels saw them take a three point advantage at the end of the first quarter, against the Group leaders, and, as their defence restricted the Italian visitors' chances, they had doubled the margin to six at the half.

The second half was a different story, though, as the visitors held Rhondda to just 13 points in the third quarter, to lead 47-52, and continued to pull away in the final quarter to win by ten.

Once again the Rebels' major problem appears to be an inability to spread the scoring sufficiently, with just six players with points (and, in fact only eight pf the twelve players getting court time), while only three (including new signing Tynesha Lewis) reaching double figures.

Perhaps the most surprising statistic from the game was for 3-point shooting. Laurie Koehn had just 1 of 3, in their 2 from 9, and that could have proved even more costly had the Italians shot better than their abysmal 1 from 12.

Congreaves 14; Mason 13; T Lewis 12; Koehn 7; Lender 6; d'Hondt 4; Kaznika; Zekite; Staley [dnp]; Gooch [dnp]; S Lewis [dnp]; Pearce [dnp]

A nine point defeat in France left Coca Cola Rhondda Rebels in the position that their team-building in the Summer had been designed to avoid - at the foot of their group in the FIBA Europe Women's Cup.

In stark contrast to their opening quarter, at home, last week, the Rebels matched their opponents throughout the first period, which ended level at 20-all, but their hosts edged away to an eight point lead by the half-time interval, 50-44.

The visitors reeled in part of that deficit in the third, which they shaded by three, but a game high 28 points by Laurie Koehn (which included 8 of 13 from beyond the arc) could not prevent the French side from pulling fractionally away again in the final stanza.

Rosie Mason recorded a double-double, adding 12 rebounds to her 21 points, but as so often in the past it was the opposing team's depth that proved the decisive factor, with only three Rhondda players reaching double figures (and only five scoring), as opposed to Tarbes' five in double-digits and eight with points.

The Rebels now return home, to face the Group leaders, Faence Palacanestro of Italy on Thursday, in the knowledge that their opponents won tonight by five points in Spain, against Hondarriba Irun who gave Rhondda such a torrid time in the Valleys last week.

Koehn 28; Mason 21; d'Hondt 18; Katkowski 10; Congeaves 7; Lender 2; Kaznika; Zekite; Staley [dnp]; Gooch [dnp]

Coca Cola Rhondda Rebels 55 (4, 21, 16, 14) Hondarriba Irun 78 (26, 24, 12, 16)

A disastrous first quarter, in which they could only muster four points, saw Rhondda Rebels fall to defeat in their first Pool game in the FIBA Europe Women's Cup.

Opponents Hondariba Irun made a mockery of the fact that this is their first foray into European competition, as they racked up a 22 point lead in that first period, virtually sealing their victory in the first ten minutes.

To their credit the Rebels held their own from that point onwards, losing the second period by just three, winning the third by four, and losing the final stanza by two, but the reverse puts a huge dent in their aspirations to progress beyond the group stages for the first time.

Laurie Koehn top-scored in the game with 17 points, and Gillian d'Hondt hauled down eleven rebounds, to gain some respect in the match, but Rhondda now face a visit to 1996 Ronchetti Cup Winners (and 2002 Finalists) Tarbes Gespe Bigorre of France, next Wednesday. Tarbes lost at Italians Faenca by fifteen points, and both the Welsh and French teams know that defeat next week would leave them propping up the group.

Coca Cola Rhondda Rebels have been set a tough task in the draw for the FIBA Europe Women's Cup which was made yesterday, as they prepare for their fifth season in European competition.

For the second year running the Rebels find themselves in the same Preliminary Round group as Faence Palacanestro, who went on to reach the quarter finals of the Pan-European stage of last season's competition, beating the Valleys' outfit by 20 points in Italy and by 27 in Wales on their way.

An even bigger threat, though, appears to come from the French representatives in the group, Tarbes, who competed in the prestigious Women's Euroleague last season, to finish was an even 6&6 record in third place in a very strong quarter-final pool. Tarbes are a vastly experienced outfit, having won the Ronchetti Cup in 1996, and reaching the Final of that competition in 2002 (only losing that game by three points to defending Cup holders Schio from Italy).

Rhondda's first away game in this season's competition sees them visit France, but they can take comfort from the fact that their first match is at home, on 20th October, against the least experienced team in the group. Hondarriba Irun are making their first foray into European competition, and thus look the least formidable of the Rebels' opponents ... but then again, no team fro Spain can ever be taken lightly!