A true top-level atmosphere is expected on Sunday at the Lauber: NKA Universitas Pécs, still unbeaten after 15 rounds and leading the league, will host TARR KSC Szekszárd, one of the top teams in the standings. The rivalry between the two clubs spans more than a decade, and according to our head coach Zeljko Djokic, we should prepare for a tough, physical derby where the support of our fans could be decisive.
Pécs and Szekszárd have faced each other 37 times in the Hungarian Championship since 2012, and the head-to-head record is extremely close: Szekszárd has won 19 times, while Pécs has claimed 18 victories. In the 2024–25 season, NKA won 97–67 at home, while suffering a 13-point defeat away. The teams have also met several times in the Hungarian Cup: in the 2020–21 season and the one after that, Szekszárd came out on top, but most recently, in the 2024–25 edition, Pécs won 81–61.
The two teams have already played each other once this season: in the autumn, NKA Universitas Pécs won in Szekszárd and continued its perfect run in the league.
In Zeljko Djokic’s team, Julia Reisingerová has been one of the most reliable players: she is currently leading NKA with an average of 16.6 points per game, while also collecting 6.9 rebounds, with a 22.2 efficiency rating (VAL).
Ahead of the game against Szekszárd, Julia Reisingerová also highlighted the team’s strength and the difficulty of the derby:
“We are very close as a team, we have great chemistry, and I think that gives us our biggest strength. I’m expecting a very tough game, it will be physical and athletic.”
Several players carry a major scoring load as well: Ágnes Török (11.7 points), Eszter Rátkai (9.3 points), Alíz Varga (9.0 points) and Kinga Josepovits (8.9 points) regularly contribute to the offensive performance.
Szekszárd also has multiple threats to watch out for. Their top scorer is Réka Dombai (16.5 points), while Aliza Karlen (14.9 points) and Ana Carolina Costa Rodrigues (13.1 points) also produce impressive numbers. Under the basket, Maria Teresa Gakdeng is a key presence, averaging 11.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in 10 games so far.
Head coach Zeljko Djokic shared the following thoughts before the matchup:
“I’m expecting a real big game against Szekszárd. After 15 rounds we are still unbeaten and leading the table, but it’s important to emphasize that Szekszárd also belongs to the top teams: they are in the top four, they have played one game less, and their record is very similar to Sopron’s, so this will definitely be a serious challenge for us.
We already won in Szekszárd in the autumn, but a lot has changed since then. Gakdeng did not play in that game, and this season she has been a key player for them, which is also shown by her numbers: 11.8 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and a 20.0 VAL. She is clearly a player we have to pay special attention to.
Szekszárd are characterized by fast scoring, very often getting a shot up within the first eight seconds. They are also very strong on offensive rebounds, so we have to react well to these things. We have to play our own basketball, while staying focused and defending hard throughout the game.
I’m proud of what my team has achieved so far: we are having a fantastic season, we played the autumn with only one foreign player, and in the EuroCup we suffered only one loss in Gernika. In the league we are still unbeaten. Both here and in Szekszárd you can see that the work has paid off, and in the second season we can build on a stable, effective style of play. I’m expecting a big battle, and I hope many fans will come, because we will need their support from the stands.”
The derby will tip off on Sunday, January 18 at 17:00 in the Lauber Dezső Sports Hall, where we will once again need the support of our fans as we fight together for another victory against Szekszárd.
