Lauber Dezső Sports Hall will come alive once again as NKA Universitas Pécs women's basketball team takes on Israeli side Elitzur Ramla in the EuroCup on Tuesday, October 28 at 18:00. Although Ramla is officially listed as the home team, the match will be held in Pécs, giving us the advantage of playing on home court.
Both teams arrive at the clash with a perfect record (2 wins, 0 losses), making this a crucial matchup for the Pécs squad. The goal remains clear: another victory on the international stage.
Based on the statistics, an exciting and evenly matched game is expected. Elitzur Ramla averages 86.5 points per game, while Pécs scores 81.5. In the rebounding battle, NKA Universitas Pécs has the edge (42.5/39), and the bench contributes more points (31.5/21.5). Pécs also dominates in points scored in the paint (45/39), which could be decisive for the win.
Elitzur Ramla and NKA Universitas Pécs have faced each other four times in the EuroCup across two consecutive seasons. In the 2021–2022 season, Pécs won the home game 90–83, while Ramla claimed the return leg 66–56. In the following season, both teams again won their respective home games: Pécs triumphed 78–58, and Ramla responded with a 69–58 victory. The head-to-head record is currently balanced at 2–2.
Head coach Zeljko Djokic shared his thoughts before the game:
“Our last game was in the Azores, which was extremely demanding both physically and mentally. After a long journey and returning from a different time zone, we spent two to three nights with barely any sleep. One of our players only managed an hour and a half of rest. We arrived in the early hours of Saturday morning and have been working ever since to recover as best we can. Fortunately, the Academy provides everything we need for effective rehabilitation.
Elitzur Ramla is a highly complex and versatile team. Several of their players perform outside their natural positions yet deliver outstanding results. Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan, for example, plays as a power forward despite being a small forward. Chelsea Nelson, who previously played in Pécs, is naturally a power forward but now plays center. Cheridene Green proved herself in Miskolc as an excellent center, while Kyra Lambert, who joined from Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, brings valuable international experience. They also have several talented Israeli players strengthening their roster.
This game could be decisive for the group standings. Of course, we want to win, but we know it will be very difficult. Individually, they are a very strong team, almost every player is capable of scoring 20–30 points in a game. That’s why it’s especially important for as many fans as possible to come to Lauber sporthall and create an atmosphere where our players truly feel they have a sixth teammate on the court.
As for our squad, unfortunately Lexi suffered a rib injury during the game in Portugal, in the same area where she previously had a fracture. The initial scans didn’t show a new break, but further diagnostics are needed. She hasn’t trained with the team yet, so it’s still uncertain when she’ll be able to return to the court.”
Ahead of the clash, Eszter Rátkai said:
“I think this will be our toughest match so far. We’ll try to take advantage of playing both games in a home environment. It would be amazing to play in front of a full house and leave the court victorious. To our fans, I say: come in numbers, cheer us on, and let’s fight together until the very end, we’ll give everything we’ve got!”
