The USK basketball players narrowly defeated Schio in the first game of the Final Four after the turnaround
Updates: 08.03.2022 21:23
Released: 08.03.2022, 20:32
Prague – The USK Praha basketball players, the winners at home at the dramatic end of the first quarterfinals of the European League in the battle for the Final Four, beat Schio 72:70. The turnover of the home team was directed by the best shooter María Conde, who scored 18 points, of which 14 in the last quarter. Thanks to her, USK erased the twelve-point shortage in the final six minutes. Kim Mestdagh’s 18 points were not enough for the guests. The Czech champions can secure the procedure in case of victory next Tuesday in Italy. Otherwise, the third duel will be played in Prague.
“It doesn’t matter if it ended two points or twenty today. If we lost this match, retaliation would be very difficult,” coach Natália Hejková told reporters after the match.
“Today we broke it with a defensive defense. Hats off to the players, with what enormous commitment ten conclusions in a narrow rotation of the deployment. We did not allow the opponent to give simple threes on which they relied and gained some strength in themselves. María Condeová, who did not have the best match until then, but relaxed and pulled her to victory, “added the Slovak coach.
USK was originally scheduled to face Hungarian Sopron in the quarterfinals. After the exclusion of Russian teams due to the invasion of Ukraine, however, the Prague team moved to second place in the basic group and got Schio after the adjustment of the spider. The home players started without injured quarterbacks Barbora Bálintová and pivanya Dragana Stankovičová.
From the beginning, the Czech champions relied on the traditional support of Brionna Jones, who in the beginning helped eight points to lead 11: 9. However, Schio kept pace, jumped well and did not allow USK to escape to a difference of more than three points at first.
Over time, the Italian team strengthened its defenses and the home players began to excel in a narrow rotation. Although the Prague team managed to stop two rival entrances in the second quarter, and the 12-point Jones was also joined from a distance by the productive Oblaková, Schio left for the cabs with a score of 41:39.
Coach Natálie Hejková’s charges struggled after the attack and did not give up the basket in the first four minutes. The visiting players escaped into the eight-point lead. Sandrine Gruda accumulated double doubles at the time with 12 points and 10 rebounds. “We talked about how to fix it. We didn’t make it in defense until the last five minutes, but in the attack the players took the instructions a little better,” Hejková said. She also pointed out the tough game of her opponents.
“Alyse Thomas is swaying her tooth, so it’s clear that someone put her elbow on her. She did it, but I was careful not to blow up either. Jones also had four wrong ones,” Hejková added.
Schiu also released the first minutes of the last quarter, and thanks to ten points, the Mestdaghs took the lead 64:52 six minutes before the end. However, the home team did not give up the match. After an improved defense, Condeová, who soon got back within range thanks to ten USK points, was the first to shoot, and in the end she completed the turn with another four points.
USK defeated Schio for the fifth time in seven matches and can win the fifth final Four in history. “It’s all the more valuable victory after such a course. The first match in the playoffs is very mentally demanding, because you need to win. If we went to Schia with a loss, it would be difficult. This is how we can prepare in peace. The main thing will be for you now the players were rested, “added Hejková.
USK Praha – Schio 72:70 (21:21, 39:41, 48:54)
Most points: Condeová 18, Oblaková 17, Jonesová 16 – Mestdaghová 18, Grudaová 14, Laksaová 13. Fouls: 19:19. Free throws: 15.11. – 9.6. Threes: 7: 8. Rebounds: 31:39. The score is now 1: 0.