Advancing confidently, with a major loss

ALUINVENT-DVTT Miskolc - Sopron Basket 57-80 (23-20, 11-22, 13-21, 10-17)
Miskolc

ALUINVENT-DVTK Miskolc: Medgyessy 2, Aho 8/3, Kányási 8/3, Hayes 11/3, Mokango 10/3 Sub.: Kiss A. 14, Tóth F. 4, Frindt -, Bacsó -

Sopron Basket: Fegyverneky 8, Walker 5, Williams 11, Brooks 8/6, Krajisnik 9 Sub.: Határ 16, January 11/6, Czukor 5/3, Varga A. 4, Varga S. 3

Statistics

2-PTS: 15/32 47% ill. 26/49 53%

3-PTS: 4/10 40% ill. 5/18 28%

FTS: 15/25 60% ill. 13/17 77%

Rebounds: 24 (Medgyessy 5) ill. 39 (Határ 10)

Assists: 16 (Medgyessy 7) ill. 22 (Fegyverneky 6)

Steals: 4 ill. 8 (January 3)

Turnovers: 19 ill. 15

Faulta: 22 ill. 26

VAL: 74 (Kiss A. 19) ill. 117 (Határ, Krajisnik 21-21)

We were given some heat last time out in Miskolc, but we hoped that we wouldn’t drag the decision until the final minutes, and would be able to close the series.


We needed only fifteen seconds to get the lead! Gabby’s pass found Tina open under the rim, who them converted the lay-up. At the other end Hayes was successful from a somewhat more difficult situation, and then Aho scored the first triple of the game (2nd minute 5-2). The home side kept finding the open men, so even though Jeca made a triple four minutes into the game, but then the counter-attack also resulted in a triple. What’s more, our head coach had to call a time-out in the middle of the quarter to get our defense back together. Just like on Wednesday, DVTK started the game putting up a fight again, not missing a single shot in the first four minutes (16-9)! We kicked it up a notch on defense, but missed multiple lay-ups, so DVTK were able to stay on top (7th minute 17-14). Meanwhile, one of our key defensive players, Briann January came on court, who suffered an ankle injury back in the game against Lyon. We came back to a single point deficit with her jumpshot in the 8th minute, and then Betti scored to give us the lead from her assist (9th minute 19-20). However, DVTK got back in the lead with two well-played offensive possessions (10th minute 23-20).


Bri called our attention to herself with yet another made shot (11th minute 23-23). Thirteen minutes into the game we were ahead by three, thanks to a three-point play by Gabby, but then came another calm and accurate shot from Hayes, who had already scored 11 by that time, without missing a single shot (28-28)! In the 14th minute Gabby was already standing at the foul line ready to make free throws, but then the refs called a charging foul. We didn’t get scored on in that possession, however, nothing could stop Gabby from scoring anymore. Attila Földi called a time-out (15th minute 28-33). In the 16th minute the game ended for two key players very quickly. Firstly, Jeca got an unsportsmanlike foul called on her after holding Hayes’ hand down, who then hit her in the face right away. After rewatching the scene on video Jeca got another technical foul, since two of her teeth fell out upon impact of the punch, and then she got angry, and kicked the substitute bench. So our center got ejected from the game (unsportsmanlike foul + technical foul), just like the American for the punch. After the interval Megan kept scoring from the foul line (17th minute 30-38). After four points for Miskolc Zsófi found her way to the basket (34-40). In the end we had time for another counter-attack, during which Zsófi drew an unsportsmanlike foul. After two made foul shots we called time for the remaining four seconds. We couldn’t score, so the result remained as it was (34-42).


Zsófi continued the game with one of her signature jumpshots, which resulted in our first double-digit lead of the game (34-44). We kept our rhythm and increased the difference with two more baskets forcing DVTK to call a time-out (23rd minute 34-48). We didn’t lose rhythm, and Alíz Varga also came in to the game well in place of Tina, who collected her third personal foul. She made a double, and then a triple (26th minute 39-57). We played well, Betti’s shot off Zsófi’s pass resulted in a 21-point advantage (27th minute 40-61). We couldn’t lose focus, however, because Mokango and her team punished every single little mistake we made (30th minute 47-63).


The beginning of the final stage of the game didn’t bring much change. Seeing the inaccuracies, Dávid Gáspár called a time-out after two and a half minutes (33rd minute 49-66). Bri signalled that we still have some reserves with a triple. After a triple by Dalma it was the other bench’s turn to call a time-out (35th minute 50-72). Sára Varga also got a chance to play, and she immediately managed to score (50-74). Even considering the fighting presence of both sides the game was stopped unnecessarily multiple times, because fouls were called for even the slightest fouls (38th minute 57-77). Our team finished with a confident, 23-point victory, and made it to the league final after two games (40th minute 57-80).


Dávid Gáspár: I am happy we made it to the final! It was a tough game tonight. DVTK started off well, with a sensational field goal percentage. In the third quarter we were able to control our defense, and build up a lead which was enough for the win. Congratulations to both teams, they played very hard, sometimes maybe even too hard, but that’s competitiveness, and the players’ competition. I wish DVTK the best of luck for what lies ahead!


Zsófia Fegyverneky: I am happy we made it to the league final again! The started off hard, but there was a period in the third quarter, when we managed to decide the game. We were able to dominate with fast-breaks and good defensive showings. There were no questions left in the second half regarding our winning of the game. We knew it was going to be tough tonight, because Miskolc always play well on their home court, but we prepared well.