USK Prague basketball players entered the EL victorious, beating Szekszárd 82:71
Update: 26/10/2022 21:28
Issued by: 26/10/2022, 21:28
Prague – The basketball players of USK Prague entered the new season of the European League victorious, defeating Hungarian Szekszárd at home 82:71. The best scorer of the Czech women’s champions was captain Teja Oblaková with 28 points. Alyssa Thomas recorded a triple double with 15 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, Valériane Vukosavljevic had a double double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Victoria Vivians’ 27 points were not enough for the visiting players.
Coach Natálie Hejková’s wards, who finished fourth last year, followed up on last year’s two wins over Szekszárd. In the next match of Group A, USK will play at Valencia in a week.
The women from Prague had to deal with injuries to under-basketball players. In addition to Veronika Šípová, Veronika Voráčková and Emes Hofová, the American mainstay Brionna Jones was also missing. Coach Natália Hejková used only seven players.
Thanks to a string of ten points, the home team took a 10-2 lead, but Szekszárd soon equalized thanks to fast breaks. The Czech champions made it harder and harder to break through the opponent’s tight defense, winning the first quarter by only two points, and the visiting team in the second half of the game.
The Hungarian team was led by Vivians, who scored 16 points in 13 minutes. USK was held by captain Oblaková with thirteen points, but the home players went to the cabins at halftime with a two-point man (35:37).
Szekszárd also relied on a tough defense in the second half, but the home team scored 12 points in a row from 47:47 and won a valuable prize. In addition to Oblaková, who added another 11 points, Vukosavjevičová also began to thrive, scoring one more point in the third quarter. After a triple by visiting Agnes Studerová, USK entered the final quarter with a score of eight points.
Szekszard’s players managed to close the deficit to four points in the beginning, but the women from Prague, with the support of the fans, fought off their onslaught. After further hits, Oblak, Vukosavljevic and Thomas regained the double-digit title and defended it in the end. Thomas added her tenth assist on Conde’s final shot two seconds before the end, completing a triple double.
At the start of the European Cup, Zabiny lost to Montpellier after the second overtime
Žabiny Brno entered the European Women’s Basketball Cup with a close defeat to Montpellier. The quarter-finalists of last year’s European League lost 87:90 after the second overtime.
The best scorer of the home team was Natálie Stoupalová with 20 points, who, among other things, converted three of five three-point attempts. At the end of the match, however, the Frogs missed her because she fouled out in the first overtime. Due to five personal errors, the match ended even earlier for Eliška Hamzová.
American players Elissa Cunane and Bria Holmes were second for the climbers, who scored 17 points each. Montpellier was led by their compatriot Haley Peters, who scored 34 points.
Nikolina Kněževičová sent the game into overtime 1:11 minutes before the end of the fourth quarter with a triple. At the end of the first five-minute period, the Brno team played for four points, but Cunane made a three-pointer less than 76:77 13 seconds before the siren. Petersová then converted only one of the two free throws and the Frogs took advantage of the chance offered. Holmes equalized with a successful drive into the basket with the horn.
The end of the second overtime already went better for Montpellier. Kněževičová failed with a three-pointer, while Mamignan Touré converted it. Free throws on both sides then only adjusted the score.
European Women’s Basketball Cup – 1st round:
Group K:
Žabiny Brno – Montpellier 87:90 after the second overtime. (24:25, 35:38, 57:53 – 68:68, 78:78)
Most points: Stoupalová 20, Cunane and Holmes 17 each – Peters 34, Touré 16, Badiane 10.
20:00 Flammes Carolo – Angers.
European Basketball Cup – 3rd round:
Group D:
BK Opava – Patrioti Levice 80:70 (16:15, 37:31, 64:45)
Most points: Bassett 17, Mokráň 16, Kouřil 10 – Freeman 18, Bachan 11, Lapornik 10.
table:
1. | Balkan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 170:147 | 4 |
2. | Keravnos | 2 | 2 | 0 | 166:145 | 4 |
3. | Opava | 3 | 1 | 2 | 221:238 | 4 |
4. | Left | 3 | 0 | 3 | 221:248 | 3 |