UMMC Ekaterinburg captured the Russian championship, winning the final game in the best of three series against Spartak Moscow Region 70-68 before a crowd of 6,000 on Tuesday.

Connecticut Sun forwards Sandrine Gruda (seven points, three rebounds and two blocks) and Asjha Jones (two points, three rebounds) helped Ekaterinburg get a little payback against the team which beat them in the EuroLeague semifinals.

Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, teammates of Jones on UConn's 2001-02 national championship team, had 17 and nine points respectively for Spartak while adding six rebounds each and combining for nine assists.

MAKING THE ROUNDS
This figures to be a rather hectic week for UConn coach Geno Auriemma but considering the reasons behind his busy schedule, something tells me he won't mind.

As previously mentioned on this blog, Auriemma is expected to be on site for the "Play for a Cure" event at Branford High School Thursday from 7-9 p.m. for a series of charity basketball games featuring teams of teachers and students from Branford public schools, a group of Channel 8 personalities and a showdown between the city's police and firefighters. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students. All the proceeds will benefit Geno’s Cancer Team, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Debbie Maloney Memorial Foundation.

Saturday will be Auriemma's second annual "Horsin' Around" at Geno's Fast Break
Restaurant at the Mohegan Sun Casino from 3:30-7:30 p.m. featuring both live and silent auction with all the money raised being donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Live and silent auctions will be part of the program.

For information on the Branford event, 488-8304. For more information on the Horsin' Around event visit www.genoscancerteam.org or call (860) 558-1987.