The NKA Universitas Pécs women’s basketball team travelled to Gernika with an unbeaten record, aiming for another victory in the EuroCup Women. The two teams are statistically very close, but according to head coach Zeljko Djokic, the key will be to play smarter and braver than in their first encounter in Pécs.
Another chapter of NKA Universitas Pécs’s EuroCup campaign will be written tomorrow night, as the team faces Lointek Gernika Bizkaia on the road in Spain. The Pécs side currently tops their group with four wins from four games and arrived in Gernika with clear ambitions to continue their winning streak.
Their first meeting in October was a memorable battle, with Pécs edging out the Spanish team 62–60 to claim their first EuroCup win of the season. Since then, both teams have shown strong form: Gernika has won four of its five games, while NKA Universitas remains undefeated.
The stats also promise a close contest. Gernika averages 81.6 points per game, while Pécs scores 79.5. The teams are nearly identical in rebounds (41.3 vs. 40.4) and turnovers, but Pécs holds a slight edge in two-point shooting accuracy (59.5% compared to 54.2%). Gernika dishes out more assists (25.4 to 19), yet Pécs is more efficient inside and commits fewer turnovers.
The Hungarian side played a domestic league game on Sunday, earning a confident win over VBW CEKK Cegléd. With little time to rest, they hit the road to Spain on Monday and are holding their first practice in Gernika tonight.
Lointek Gernika Bizkaia has built a strong reputation at home, defeating several top European teams in recent seasons, including Galatasaray, Valencia Basket, and Hatay BB. Their organized defense, fast-paced offense, and passionate home crowd at the Maloste Arena make them a tough opponent for any visiting team and Wednesday’s clash will be no exception.
NKA Universitas Pécs travelled with a ten-player roster. Lexi Held was released from hospital on Monday, Kinga Josepovits is absent due to school commitments, while Ágnes Studer’s availability will be decided before the game following a minor injury. Panka Dúl has also been battling injury and illness, making her participation uncertain.
Head coach Zeljko Djokic said before the game:
“We played a league game against Cegléd on Sunday and haven’t been able to train since then. We left for Spain on Monday and will hold our first practice tonight in Gernika. Our roster currently includes ten players. Lexi Held was in hospital, Kinga Josepovits couldn’t travel with us because of her studies, and Ágnes Studer suffered an injury but thankfully the MRI showed nothing serious. Her participation will be decided tomorrow. Panka Dúl was injured in the first Ramla game and then got sick, so her status is also uncertain. Our first EuroCup game was against Gernika, and we won 62–60 in Pécs in a very tight game. This time we’re facing them away from home, and we know they’ve strengthened since then, they signed Sara Krnjic, who I worked with in Szekszárd and who previously played in Pécs, and now Angela Salvadores will also play, as she didn’t in the first game. Statistically we’re very close, but the key for us will be to play smarter and braver than last time. We know this will be a difficult game, especially away from home, but our goal is clear: we came to Spain to win.”
Adenike Olawuyi also shared her thoughts before the match:
“We know it won’t be easy, as we’re playing away, but we’ll give everything for ourselves, our teammates, and our fans. We’ll just do our job and we want to win.”
The EuroCup Women game between Lointek Gernika Bizkaia and NKA Universitas Pécs tips off at 8 p.m. on Wednesday in Spain.
