Big win in Poland

Arka Gdynia - Sopron Basket 67-77 (17-16, 27-22, 10-24, 13-15)
Gdansk

Arka Gdynia: Balintova 19/6, Slamova 11/9, Allen 14/6, Kastanek 5/3, Greinacher 6 Sub.: Rembiszewska 12/3, Winkowska -, Misiek -, Podgorna -

Sopron Basket: January 4/3, Fegyverneky 10/3, Crvendakic 12/6, Brooks 17, Jovanovic 8 Sub.: Dupree 18, Határ 8, Dubei -

Stats

FGS: 22/58 38% ill. 32/60 52%

3-PTS: 9/21 43% ill. 4/9 44%

FTS: 14/19 74% ill. 9/12 75%

Rebounds: 26 (Greinacher 8) ill. 38 (Brooks, Jovanovic 7-7)

Assists: 17 (Balintova 10) ill. 23 (Fegyverneky 11)

Steals: 6 ill. 4 (Brooks 2)

Turnovers: 7 ill. 10

Faults: 17 ill. 20

EFF: 71 (Balintova 31) ill. 102 (Dupree 21)

Zsófi got the game going with a double, to which Greinacher answered back likewise. Then Tina converted Briann's pass into a lay-up (4th minute 2-4). Then our center made two free throws, followed by a 9-0 run from the home side, which turned the game their way for the first time (11-6). Jeca put an end to the scoring run with a close shot, to which Aleks added another, reducing the gap to one, abd then Candice made another double to give us the lead back 8th minute 11-12). After that Allen hit a three, and Balintova made a lay-up while drawing a foul, forcing our furst time-out in the game (16-12). Balintova converted the and-one after the short pause, while Betti made a double at the other end setting the score for the quarter (10th minute 17-16).

Balintova opened the second period with a shot from outside, to which Betti answered back with a lay-up, and then Zsófi tied it up with one of her own (13th minute 20-20). Kastanek and Betti exchanged buckets, the former scored for three, and the latter for two. Allen made three free throws, to which Rembiszewska added a lay-up after a fastbreak, and with a mid-range jumper by Allen they were already on a 7-0run before Jeca put an end to it. Rembiszewska hit another one, and then Jeca split a pair of foul shots, and then Zsófi buried one from behind the arc. However, Slamova answered back with a triple of her own (17th minute 35-28). Tina scored four in a row reducing the gap to three, and forcing Gundars Vetra to call his first time-out of the game (35-32). Slamova put two on the board for Gdynia after the break, to which Briann replied with a three. The Polish closed the half on a high note and gained a solid advantage (20th minute 44-38).

Rembiszewska opened the second half with a triple, to which Candice answered back from mid-range (47-40). We were doing everything to cut into Gdynia's lead, and when Jeca made a lay-up, we were only trailing by three (25th minute 51-48). What's more, with a double by Candice we managed to get as close as a single point, and then Briann handed out an assist to Jeca for two which gave us the lead after a long time forcing Gdynia's next time-out (27th minute 53-54)! We ended the period with a 1-8 run, which gave us the momentum for a good ending in the game (30th minute 54-62).

A lay-up by Betti gave us a double-digit lead to start the final stage of the game, to which Rembiszewska answered back with a double of her own, and when Greinacher made another one it was Dávid Gáspár's turn to call his team to the bench to talk things over (33rd minute 58-64). Aleks buried a huge triple after the short pause, to which Candice added two, but then the home side scored four in a row. After that Aleks made a double to force Gundars Vetra to call his next time-out (36th minute 62-73). In the remaining time Gdynia tried everything to
make it tight, but we wouldn't let that happen and collected another important win on the road in Euroleague (40th minute 67-77).

Dávid Gáspár: We switched into the gear we should have been in since the second quarter in the second half. We knew that they had great shootersand that they play a lot of pick and roll, from which they can find these shooters.All in all their 3PT percentage was extraordinary. We should have tightebed our defense a lot more. That happened in the second half. We have allowed 23 points which secured the win for us. I think we had some imaginative plays on offense when we were playing patiently. I am happy about the win, we have made an important step in the Euroleague group.

Candice Dupree: We started very slowly, especially on defense. We got more agressive on offense after the break, which resulted in more accurate shots.