Spain Cruise To Opening Win

Veteran guard Elisa Aguilar scored 10 points for Spain, making two of her three shots from outside the arc

Spain enjoyed a winning start to their EuroBasket Women 2013 Qualification Round campaign at home to Bulgaria on Wednesday.

Looking to get rid of the bad taste of their dismal showing at last year's EuroBasket in Poland, new coach Lucas Mondelo guided the team to a 64-58 victory in Group D.

Eleven of the 12 players in the Spanish squad scored, including point guards Elisa Aguilar and Cristina Ouvina with 10 points apiece.

Bulgaria, who are coached by Spaniard Jose Maria Buceta, led for much of the first quarter.

Vera Perostiyska and Radoslava Bachvarova each had four points as the visitors went into a 10-6 lead.

Laia Palau, just a couple of months removed from her EuroLeague Women title-winning performance with Ros Casares, hit a jumper to cut the gap to two and Aguilar followed with a three-ball and another basket to put Spain in front to stay.

Mondelo's team reeled of 13 unanswered points for a 19-10 lead.

The hosts kept the pressure on and went on top 28-12 after baskets by Amaya Valdemoro, Ouvina, Anna Montanana and Marta Fernandez.

Bulgaria scored the last five points of the second quarter to trail 45-37.

Spain remained comfortably ahead for the remainder of the contest.

One of the up-and-coming players in the Spanish squads, 20-year-old Vanessa Blé, had six points and seven rebounds.

Quotes Spain vs. Bulgaria

Spain head coach Lucas Mondelo
"I've lived my debut with much intensity, joy and responsibility. It's very difficult to start, because you play with the pressure of winning. But the most important thing was to win and keep the team. This competition is very long. We have a rotation and during the game we have managed to keep the team and make a correct point average. The defense we have done in the second quarter is what most resembles what we want and what we intend to be. (Our next opponents) Sweden are a dangerous team. They come from losing in Romania and if they lose against us, they could be in trouble. It is a dangerous team, but in a tournament like this nobody gives away anything."

Bulgaria head coach Jose Maria Buceta
"We tried. Spain is a superior team, which is not of this division. We are where we need to be. At half time we lost by 14 points and we didn't give up. I'm happy. Spain steals you twice in a game and you're done. This was not our tournament. Ours begins with the next game. I am convinced that Spain will return to the elite. I wish them the best. We will come out stronger from this game. We have to analyze and correct errors but it is a good start to the championship. We have to keep on trying and we are working well. Bulgaria is trying to get again the level we had. Here is a discipline of work but there's no international experience. No players with experience in the EuroLeague Women play in this team."

Spain guard Elisa Aguilar
"We knew it was going to be very close. At the beginning we had to be strong. We have defended. All the team joined to play and the most important thing is that it is a victory.We all like to play at Olympics and EuroBasket. We had many years of success and I think one fall can't throw so many years of work out. I think we've shown that we are always more united than ever and every time I come here I'm proud to play for the Spainish NT. Now there is a mix between young players with more experienced players. There are very talented, very competitive and what we have to do is to qualify for next year and be at the highest level."