In the first round of the EuroCup Women Play-Offs, NKA Universitas Pécs defeated Lointek Gernika Bizkaia 78–61 in the second leg of the tie. After suffering a 19-point defeat in Spain in the first game, Pécs needed a 20-point victory at home to force overtime – a margin that came within touching distance several times throughout the evening. Ultimately, the chance to extend the series was taken away by a late basket from Masa Jankovic.
From the opening tip, the players of NKA Universitas Pécs showed tremendous belief and energy. Inside the paint, Julia Reisingerová was a constant reference point, influencing the game not only with her scoring but also with her rebounding and physical presence. Alongside her, Ágnes Török and Panka Dúl contributed crucial baskets and aggressive defense, helping the home side build a 21–16 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The advantage continued to grow in the second period. With Eszter Rátkai orchestrating the offense, the tempo increased, and turnovers were consistently converted into quick points. Orsolya Tóth and Kinga Josepovits battled hard under the baskets, as NKA gradually extended its lead to 41–29 at halftime, with the psychological momentum clearly on the home side.
The flow of the game did not change after the break. In the third quarter, NKA struck at key moments while maintaining defensive stability. The margin repeatedly moved dangerously close to the required twenty points, with the team calmly controlling the pace of play. By the end of the quarter, Pécs led 59–44, keeping the dream alive.
The final ten minutes turned into an emotional rollercoaster. The crowd lived every possession together with the team, and the fight for every loose ball was relentless. Julia Reisingerová once again played a decisive role down the stretch, while three-pointers from Panka Dúl and Eszter Rátkai reignited hope time and again. The twenty-point dream was within reach, but once more, a basket by Masa Jankovic denied the possibility of overtime.
NKA Universitas Pécs thus claimed a 78–61 victory in the second leg, and although the aggregate score did not favor the Hungarian side, the performance clearly showed the character, fighting spirit and bright future of this young team.
Head coach Zeljko Djokic said after the game:
“I am sorry that everyone feels sad right now, and of course I am disappointed as well. When we were up by 19 points – which would have been enough to force overtime – we did not even manage to get a shot off on our final possession. But in basketball, you cannot judge everything by the last seconds alone.
I am very proud of what happened before that. The girls played sensationally and gave everything they had. We did not manage to progress, but this young team will learn a lot from this tie. Now we can return to work, continue developing, and take another step forward as a team. Congratulations to our opponents, I wish them all the best going forward, and I would like to thank our fans for their incredible support.”
NKA Universitas Pécs – Lointek Gernika Bizkaia 78–61 (21–16, 20–13, 18–15, 19–17)
EuroCup, Play-Offs – Pécs, Lauber Dezső Sportcsarnok
Referees: Domen Krajnc (SLO), Petr Blahout (CZE), Luka Brekalo (BIH)
NKA Universitas Pécs: Varga A. 8, Rátkai E. 7 (6), Török Á. 15 (3), Dúl P. 14 (3), Reisingerová J. 25 (6).
Subs: Halmágyi K. –, Olawuyi A. 4, Josepovits K. 1, Tóth O. 4, Gréts D. –.
Lointek Gernika Bizkaia: Olaeta A. 18 (12), Westerik L. 5, Jankovic M. 20, Bessoir E. 4, Adams J. 8.
Subs: Matarranz E. –, Krnjic S. –, Castedo E. –, Polleros S. 6 (6).
Featured photo: Márton Sitku
