WE ARE ON TOP OF EUROPE!

Sopron Basket - Fenerbahce Safiport 60-55 (16-6, 13-13, 16-19, 13-17)
Isztambul, 9500 néző

Fenerbahce Safiport: Cakir 11, McBride 2, Iagupova 13, Sabally 9/6, Williams 5 Sub.: Zahui 12/6, Hartley 3/3,

Sopron Basket: January 11/3, Fegyverneky 12/3, Williams 16/3, Brooks 9/6, Határ 10 Sub.: Dolson 2, Czukor D. -, Jovanovic -, Varga A. -

Statistics

FGS: 22/59 37% ill. 20/62 32%

3-PTS: 5/19 26% ill. 5/26 19%

FTS: 11/18 61% ill. 10/17 59%

Rebounds: 44 (Brooks 11) ill. 38 (Williams 8)

Assists: 10 (Fegyverneky, Williams 10-10) ill. 12 (Iagupova 5)

Steals: 9 (Williams 4) ill. 7 (Williams 3)

Turnovers: 13 ill. 13

Faults: 19 ill. 19

EFF: 66 (Williams 17) ill. 44 (Cakir 12)

Gabby got the game going with a mid-range double, to which she then added two more points off a steal, while Zsófi hit a triple, forcing Victor Lapena’s first time-out (4th minute 7-0). Betti was also successful from inside the three-point line after grabbing multiple offensive rebounds. Then Bri split a pair of foul shots, giving us a double-digit edge for the first time in the game (10-0). After that Zsófi went in for a lay-up, to which Sabally answered back with a triple, scoring the first points for the Turkish (8th minute 12-3). However, they couldn’t come any closer, what’s more, Zsófi hit one of her signature mid-range doubles to get our lead back up to double digits again. Sabally made one of two from the charity stripe, while Zsófi added one more from mid-range. McBride came up with a double for Fenerbahce setting the score for the first period (10th minute 16-6).


Williams opened the second period with a lay-up, while Iagupova made one of two from the foul line (12th minute 16-9). After that the Ukrainian added two more to her tally, while Bri was successful from mid-range. Then Gabby stole the ball and ran down the court for a lay-up, and when Betti made a lay-up we were ahead by seven at the middle of the quarter, and a minute later Jeca hit a huge triple to get our advantage back up to ten again, forcing Victor Lapena to call his team to the bench again (16th minute 25-15). There came a bit of a scoring drought for both sides, which was ended by a lay-up by Gabby, while at the other end Amanda Zahui scored two free throws, and then Iagupova made a long double. Gabby beat her defender again for a lay-up giving us a ten-point advantage for the half-time break (20th minute 29-19)!


The third quarter began with a lay-up by Sabally, while Stef made two free throws at the other end. Cakir was also successful from inside the paint, to which Hartley added a three (22nd minute 31-26). After that Jeca beat her defender with a spin move under the basket for two, while Cakir made another hard bucket. Iagupova was also able to score, reducing the gap to three, and when Cakir made another lay-up while drawing a foul, Dávid Gáspár called a time-out (25th minute 33-32). The Turkish player missed the and-one, while at the other end Gabby made a lay-up to hold them off. Bri and Betti put two on the board from the free throw line to give us a two-possession lead, and then betti was also successful from inside the paint forcing the next Turkish time-out (39-33). Zahui made a double after an offensive rebound by Fenerbahce, to which Bri answered back with a huge triple. However, Amanda Zahui was able to make one of her own at the other end. We wouldn’t back down, though, Jeca was also able to hit one from outside setting the score for the period (30th minute 45-38)!


The final stage of the game began with Bri stealing the ball and running down the court for a lay-up with it, while at the other end Zahui hit a triple. Jeca split a pair at the foul line afterwards, while Zahui made another double (32nd minute 48-43). After that Gabby hit a huge triple, while the other Williams, Elizabeth made one of two free throws, and then Cakir made a lay-up. Bri also made a double from mid-range, which meant that we were ahead by seven with five minutes left on the clock (35th minute 53-46). In the next few minutes the difference got stuck at around five, but time was on our side, so Victor Lapena called his team to the bench to talk things over (37th minute 55-50). Elizabeth Williams missed two free throws, while at the other end Betti made a really difficult bucket. After that Cakir also scored two, while Betti made one of two free throws. Then Sabally hit a big three to reduce the gap to three (58-55). With eight seconds on the clock Zsófi made one of two free throws, giving us a four-point lead, forcing Victor Lapena to call another time-out (59-55). Zahui tried to make a triple after the short break, with three seconds left on the clock, and after a time-out by Dávid Gáspár Gabby converted one of two free throws, and because the Turkish were unable to make any more shots, WE WON THE EUROLEAGUE WOMEN FINAL4 (40th minute 60-55)!

Dávid Gáspár: We came to IStanbul for the endgame, and we won the competition! We worked a lot, we had goals with which we came here, and we reached them. It feels incredible, and it is hard to describe. All the work we did in training, the talks in difficult situations, paid off. That is the biggest lesson of this result, to always believe in the work you do. We believed that we could win, kept Fenerbahce under 60 points, and did a hell of a job on defense! I am very happy!

Gabby Williams: I am still in shock. It was great to experience this game, and how we got this achievement with a great team effort. Everyone was really focused until the last second. Incredible!