Historic win in Salamanca

Perfumerias Avenida Salamana - Sopron Basket 70-78 (16-25, 22-13, 17-21, 15-19)
Salamanca

Perfumerias Avenida Salamanca: Dominguez 4, Eldebrink 6/3, Robinson 20/12, Elonu 9, De Souza 5 Sub.: Givens 13, Gil 10, Asurmendi 3/3, Putnina -

Sopron Basket: Fegyverneky 5/3, Turner 26/15, Crvendakic 11/6, Zahui 13/6, Dupree 19/3 Sub.: Dubei 2, Salvadores 2, Határ -

Stats

FGS: 23/51 45% ill. 31/63 49%

3-PTS: 6/17 35% ill. 11/20 55%

FTS: 18/21 86% ill. 5/5 100%

Rebounds: 33 (Robinson 8) ill. 26 (Dupree, Zahui 6-6)

Assists: 18 (Dominguez 9) ill. 15 (Turner 8)

Steals: 4 ill. 10 (Turner 4)

Turnovers: 17 ill. 13

Faulta: 15 ill. 21

EFF: 81 (Robinson 22) ill. 87 (Turner 34)

Even though the Spanish have got the ball at the tip-off, we made the first basket! Yvonne was alert on defense, and came up with a steal which led to her giving an assist to Candice. Then our point guard was able to make a basket of her own from the corner increasing our early lead to five points, before Salamanca scored their first from the free throw line (1-5). Candice and Amanda were able to stretch our lead even further which made Lino Lopez call his first time-out in the game (4th minute 1-9). After the break Amanda converted the remaining half of an and-one, before de Souza hit the first field goal for the home side. They have gained momentum off that first successful shot, Eldebrink brought them closer to us with a huge triple, but then came Aleks and completed a three-point play. A while later Yvonne buried another huge triple to give us a double-digit lead, to which Candice added two more (7th minute 8-20)! Then the Spanish were trying to cut into their deficit by four quick points, but Amanda shut their efforts down with an open triple. In the remainder of the first period we could register two more points for both sides, which meant that after ten minutes we were in a nine-point advantage (10th minute 16-25)!


Gil opened the second stage of the game with two successful free throws, to which Debi answered back from mid-range. Gil kept delivering on offense, this time she came up with a three-point play, forcing our first time-out (13th minute 21-27). The break wouldn't stop the home team's run, Robinson hit one from downtown coming even closer to us, and with the double by Givens they were only down by a single point (26-27). Right when they had the chance to turn the game their way Aleks came up with a demoralising triple to secure our lead. Then Givens made two from the line to make us worry again (16th minute 28-30). She was able to beat Zsófi under the rim to bury the equaliser, what's more, after two free throws she even gave the lead to her team for the first time in the game (32-30). Before they could get used to being ahead, Amanda and Yvonne gave us our lead back, but right after that Asurmendi hit a triple to regain it for the home side, and de Souza made it even more comfortable with a double. Aleks wouldn't let them pull further away, she hit a double, and a couple of seconds before the end of the half Angela tied the game up again (20th minute 38-38).


The third quarter began with a mid-range double by Candice, to which Elonu answered back with a three-point play. After that Yvonne hit a long two, and came up with a steal on defense. Later Robinson hit a big triple, but Candice wouldn't let the home side be happy for long, she hit a mid-range double again. Then came Yvonne, who drew an unsportsmanlike foul on Elonu, and converted both shots awarded from the line. Unfortunately, Amanda missed the three afterwards, but our point guard didn't, five-point Sopron lead (24th minute 44-49). Candice topped that with a spectacular double having a defender all over her. After a time-out Robinson hit one from downtown, , but then Candice and Amanda have done likewise on the other end (46-57)! Then the home side came up with a 9-0 run in the following minutes making it a tight game again, but Candice had the last say with a double to retain a fragile lead before the final quarter (30th minute 55-59).


Zsófi opened the fourth with a huge triple, to which Givens answered back with a double, but then Aleks copied Zsófi and came up with a three (33rd minute 57-65). Dominguez and Gil brought the home side closer again with two nice shots, forcing our next time-out (35th minute 61-65). Gil made one of two from the line, then Elonu hit a hook shot, reducing the gap to a single point. What's more, after Elonu's successful effort from the line Salamanca took over the lead again (66-65). Then Yvonne and Robinson exchanged baskets, and then Zsófi hit one of her signature mid-range doubles to put us on the front foot again, to which Yvonne added a demoralising triple, forcing a time-out for the home side (38th minute 68-72)! Dominguez converted both shots from the line, and at the other end Yvonne forced an and-one, giving us a five-point lead. Later on she added another huge triple to her total with a defender on her neck forcing the next home team time-out (70-78)! In the remaining time we came up with a big defensive effort and kept the score as it was, which means we have come away with a historic win in Salamanca (40th minute 70-78).

Roberto Iniguez: Today we kept our focus, and that was the key, that was the difference! Today we were focused enough to beat a team that is very hard to beat here. We had the discipline, the trust, and this is the right way for us.

Zsófia Fegyverneky: This a very important win for us, everybody knows that it is almost impossible to win in this arena. We started the game well, and playing a very disciplined basketball we kept ourselves to the plan that we had been practicing in trainings. It was a crucial win, in this group every game is difficult! We are very happy!