Chanelle Molina scored 25 points, but the Norrköping Dolphins lost a thriller on the road, 95-92, to A3 Basket in overtime.
Erica Davenport amassed 21 points and 17 rebounds, and Camille Zimmerman tallied 22 points and eight boards. Led by Janee Thompson (30 points) and Emma Stach (28), A3 shot 59 percent (33-for-56) from the field on its home court. The visiting Dolphins shot 41 percent from the field. A3 improved to 4-2.
Molina, the former Konawaena and Washington State standout guard, also had five rebounds and five assists.
“It was a game that we let slip away. We were up by six points in the last minute of the game,” Molina said. “We did a horrible job of handling their press and getting the ball inbounds. It led to turnovers and points for them. Towards the very end of the fourth (quarter), we had a couple of chances to put the game away, but the ball wouldn’t fall in. The momentum of their other team’s comeback followed in overtime and they took the game.”
Molina is playing, perhaps, her best basketball of the young season following her senior year at Washington State last winter. She shot 63 percent from the field on Saturday (8-for-12), including 3-for-4 from the arc. She was also 6-for-8 from the free-throw line in a highly efficient performance.
“My shooting feels nice. I feel that I can do a lot better on my defense, though,” said Molina, who averages 20.7 points per game.
Norrköping Dolphins dropped to 4-3 in the Swedish Basketball League, which has plenty of parity up and down the standings. It was the first game in three weeks for the Dolphins due to the European national games.
There haven’t been many teams with the firepower to run with the Dolphins. A3 was one of the exceptions.
“I think they were more dynamic than we were. If anything, I think Alvik would be a similar (uptempo) team. They have a lot of good players that can score. We didn’t play them yet,” Molina noted. “We play them before our Christmas break, I think.”
Norrköping will host Sodertalje on Friday. The regular season is comprised of 22 games, ending Mar. 20. That gives the Dolphins time to develop and build chemistry. Norrköping is 3-0 at home, 1-3 on the road. The three road losses were by a mere 14 points total.
“We play everyone twice, so I think the second time’s going to be a lot better,” she said.
Restrictions across Europe have tightened with rising numbers of COVID-19.
“There are rules like no public gatherings of more than 50 people,” Molina said.
Q&A with Chanelle “Vampire Diaries” Molina
Who is your funniest teammate?
Anna Lundquist.
Smartest teammate
Matilda Stahl.
Best cook on the team
Anna Lundquist.
Best dresser
Anna Lundquist.
Best new food you’ve tried
“They provide us meals so I pretty much eat the same food every day. I haven’t tried anything new.”
Worst new food you’ve tried
N/A.
Best new show/movie
Legacies. “It’s a spin-off to my other favorite TV show, The Originals.”
What people don’t know about Sweden
“They love to bike and walk here.”
Do you have a rice cooker?
“I don’t have a rice cooker. Don’t need one because they provide us with a lot of potatoes.”
What did you think of the (orange) media art of you made by the team?
“I thought it was super cool. Orange isn’t my color, but it’s growing on me."
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