The Pécs crowd once again created a true European Cup atmosphere in the Lauber Dezső Sports Hall, where the team claimed a 97–59 victory over Sportiva/Azoris Hotels, completing the first EuroCup round with a flawless record. From the opening minutes, Pécs controlled the game; their defense and fast-break transitions consistently overpowered the visitors.
From the opening moments, NKA Universitas Pécs made it clear they intended to close the group stage the same way they had played throughout, confidently and dominantly. Although the first few minutes included some missed opportunities, the Pécs defense quickly imposed its rhythm on the game. Julia Reisingerová opened the scoring with a mid-range jumper, followed by fast-break baskets from Orsi Tóth, Panka Dúl and Eszter Rátkai, all coming off steals. Sportiva’s offensive attempts repeatedly stalled against the disciplined Pécs defense, and the home side closed the first quarter with a commanding 17–3 lead.
Pécs carried the same determination into the second period: Orsi Tóth’s three-pointer and Reisingerová’s assists sparked another strong run. The bench also brought tremendous energy, Ágnes Studer scored off a steal, Kinga Josepovits finished two easy layups on the break, and later Panka Dúl’s three-pointer pushed the margin beyond twenty. The quarter ended with an Alíz Varga triple, sending NKA into halftime with a convincing 49–23 advantage.
After the break, the Portuguese side started with a bit more intensity, but every attempt to get closer was quickly answered by the home team. Julia Reisingerová and Ági Török dominated under the rim, and Ágnes Studer added a smooth jumper to stretch the lead further. Sportiva tried to stay in the game from the free-throw line, Ana Paz scored several points from the stripe, but by the end of the quarter the difference had barely changed. Pécs entered the final period leading 70–45.
The fourth quarter saw Pécs play with freedom and confidence, much to the delight of the home crowd. Zeljko Djokic’s team opened the period with a three-pointer from Ágnes Studer, followed by another long-range hit from Eszter Rátkai, while Kinga Josepovits and Studer both scored in transition. On the visitors’ side, Bella Nascimento tried to keep her team’s offense alive, but the Pécs defense continued to force multiple turnovers. A strong block from Reisingerová and another Rátkai three-pointer crowned the team’s performance, sealing the final 97–59 result.
With this victory, NKA Universitas Pécs completed the EuroCup group stage with a flawless 6/6 record and advances confidently to the Round of 32.
Head coach Zeljko Djokic’s remarks:
“Thank you to our fans for the fantastic atmosphere they created. We did everything we could to win by the biggest possible margin, but the Portuguese team played harder than last time, they also brought in a new player who performed very well today. Congratulations to my team as well, because we won our group undefeated. At the same time, we continue to face difficulties in training due to the many injuries; we cannot practice with the rhythm and movement we would like.”
NKA Universitas Pécs – Sportiva/Azoris Hotels 97–59 (17–3, 32–20, 21–22, 27–14)
EuroCup Women, Group C | Lauber Dezső Sports Hall
Officials: Jelena Tomic (CRO), Marija Ciric (SRB), Ma Maesano Krapinec (CRO)
NKA Universitas Pécs:
Varga A. 8/6, Rátkai E. 12/6, Tóth O. 9/3, Dúl P. 15/3, Reisingerová 12.
Bench: Hőgye P. –, Studer Á. 13/3, Török Á. 12/3, Olawuyi 1, Josepovits 14, Halmágyi Kata 1.
Sportiva/Azoris Hotels:
Nascimento B. 18/9, Soares M. 7, Paz A. 16/6, Gaislerova M. 2, Serralheiro L. 4.
Bench: Carvalho M. 5/3, Rodrigues R. 3, Goncalves C. 4.
