NKA Universitas Pécs secured a thrilling, hard-fought win in the EuroCup, defeating Spanish side Lointek Gernika Bizkaia and proving that with heart and determination, they are capable of remarkable feats.
Julia Reisingerová opened the scoring for NKA Universitas Pécs, followed by a three-pointer from Alíz Varga after a basket from the visitors. The Spanish side responded with a 5–0 run, but under the leadership of Panka Dúl, our players regained the lead. In the closing stages of the first quarter, Esther Castedo hit a three-pointer to level the score, but two made free throws from Julia Reisingerová gave Zeljko Djokic’s squad a 14–12 advantage heading into the second period.
The second quarter began with a triple from Ágnes Studer, and Panka Dúl answered Joy Adams’ layup with another beautiful three-pointer. Esther Castedo equalized again, but Pécs pulled ahead 29–22 with well-executed team plays, though the Spanish team closed the gap with a quick scoring burst. Halftime score: 30–28.
Early in the third quarter, the game was tied at 30–30, but our players responded with four unanswered points. Reisingerová continued her fine form with three successful free throws and a layup, yet Gernika took the lead late in the period. At just the right moment, Alíz Varga nailed a clutch three-pointer to make it 46–46 heading into the final quarter.
The last period opened with a free throw, a layup, and a three-pointer from Gernika, prompting a timeout from Coach Djokic. Our girls steadily cut into the deficit, and after a free throw from Ágnes Török, the score stood at 53–54. Reisingerová’s and-one play put Pécs back in front, and Dúl Panka extended the advantage. The visitors equalized, then Masa Jankovic gave Gernika a one-point lead. However, Julia Reisingerová came through once again, scoring a basket through contact and calmly sinking the decisive free throw with 1.5 seconds remaining, sealing a dramatic 62–60 win for NKA Universitas Pécs.
After the final buzzer, the players sent a heartfelt message to their fans:
“We couldn’t have done it without you!”
Head coach Zeljko Djokic said after the game:
“Congratulations to my team and our fans. For the first time this season, we recreated the atmosphere of the old days, and I hope even more people will come next time, it was an especially exciting game. However, our mentality today wasn’t at the level I’m used to and expect; we can be much better in that regard. One area I’m especially satisfied with is our rebounding, we grabbed almost twice as many boards as our opponents, and in the end, that made the difference.”
NKA Universitas Pécs – Lointek Gernika Bizkaia 62–60 (14–12, 16–16, 16–18, 16–14)
FIBA EuroCup Women, Group C
Pécs, Lauber Dezső Sports Hall
NKA Universitas Pécs: Varga A. 8/6, Rátkai E. 1, Török Á. 6/3, Dúl P. 7/3, Reisingerová J. 22. Substitutes: Studer Á. 8/3, Olawuyi A. 4, Josepovits K. -, Tóth O. 6.
Lointek Gernika Bizkaia: Olaeta A. 8/6, Westerik L. 11/3, Jankovic M. 9, Bessoir E. -, Adams J. 13/3. Substitutes: Matarranz E. 4, Castedo E. 15/9, Polleros S. -.
