HAINING (FIBA Diamond Ball for Women) - Becky Hammon made her long-awaited debut for Russia on Saturday but Latvia’s Anete Jekabsone-Zogota stole the headlines by scoring 34 points in a 75-69 win for the Baltic country.

Hammon, a CSKA Moscow guard who became a Russian citizen earlier this year, had just one practice with the national team before appearing in the opening game of the FIBA Diamond Ball for Women on Saturday in Haining.

She played 23 and a half minutes and scored only three points on zero of six shooting from the floor, which included misses on both of her shots from long range.

Jekabsone, a member of the all-tournament team at last year’s EuroBasket Women in Italy, was 11 of 16 shooting overall and made all five of her shots from behind the arc.

No other player from Latvia reached double figures in points.

"I am excited to be here and to have beaten the Russian team,” Jekabsone said to FIBA.Com.

“Now we need to prepare for Olympics. We played well on defense, we watched videos and we knew how Russia played.”

When asked about the addition of Hammon to the Russian squad, she said:  “I think the Russian team will be different with Hammon.

“(But) Hammon doesn't know her teammates and needs more practice and I think in the future, this will be a different team."

Hammon, one of the leading players in the WNBA with the San Antonio Silver Stars, said to FIBA.Com: "You just take what the defense gives you.

“They were pretty tight on me the whole game on taking away the three-point shots so (I decided to) just penetrate and look for other people.

“Other players got three-point shots and that is okay by me.”

Irina Sokolovskaya was two of four from long range but as a team, Russia were four of 15 (27%).

Russia hurt their cause at the free throw line, making just 21 of 34 (62%) while Latvia were 12 of 16 (75%).

FIBA