WABA U17: League Day 2 Round-Up

League Day 2 of the WABA U17 competition delivered a spectacular display of youth basketball, highlighted by historic individual masterclasses, high-octane defensive pressures, and dominant execution in regional derbies.

 

2026-27 WABA U17 – Group Stage

Week 1, Day 2 (September 19)

Group A – Celje (Gimnazija Center Celje):

Triglav-Virovitica 75-52 (15-19, 19-12, 22-12, 19-9)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO

Triglav put on a clinic inside the arc, converting 50% of their two-point field goals (25/50). Triglav’s relentless energy in the paint completely disrupted Virovitica’s defense, allowing them to pull down an astonishing 21 offensive rebounds. These extra possessions, combined with 17 steals, gave the Kranj-based team the momentum they needed to control the tempo.

Mila Ana Milic was the undisputed star of the night, delivering a spectacular performance and posting a game-high 26 efficiency rating. She dominated the paint to secure a massive double-double, exploding for 21 points and 14 rebounds, while anchoring Triglav with a +18 plus-minus rating. She received excellent support from Maja Majkic (11 points, perfect 5/5 from the free-throw line), Julija Krizaj (11 points, 6 rebounds), and Liza Zec Jesenko (11 points). Ziva Zupan also reached double figures, contributing 10 points and a game-high +28 plus-minus rating.

Virovitica fought hard but was heavily plagued by turnovers, giving away the ball 35 times under Triglav’s intense pressure. Iva Knezevic carried the offensive load for the Croatians, fighting through the defense to register a team-high 20 points and 6 assists, along with 7 steals for a 17 efficiency rating. Iva Marosevic also added a solid 10 points and 5 rebounds, but Virovitica’s lack of depth and struggle to secure defensive rebounds kept them from closing the gap.

 

Cinkarna Celje-Maribor 36-77 (8-17, 13-22, 11-17, 4-21)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO

Maribor put on a shooting masterclass inside the arc, converting a blistering 69% of their two-point attempts (27/39). Maribor completely neutralized Celje’s offensive schemes, forcing them into 27 turnovers while dominating the rim protection with an impressive 8 blocked shots.

Anais Gobec delivered the performance of the round, posting a staggering, game-high efficiency rating of 50. Gobec missed just one field goal all night, exploding for a dominant double-double of 29 points and 12 rebounds, while adding 5 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks. Veronika Ferjancic also terrorized the paint, nearly matching her teammate with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks, and a game-high +38 plus-minus rating. Tajra Ribic rounded out Maribor’s top performers, contributing a solid 12 points.

Cinkarna Celje endured a nightmarish evening from the field, hitting just 22% of their two-point field goals (7/32) and a mere 18% from beyond the arc (2/11). Aljasa Sodin was the lone bright spot for Celje, fighting through heavy coverage to score a team-high 14 points while drawing 8 personal fouls. Zoja Kump chipped in 10 points off the bench, but a lack of offensive cohesion and an inability to match Maribor’s size in the paint kept them from mounting a real challenge.

 

Group A – Trieste (Cubone):

Futurosa #Forna-Studio Zagreb 72-40 (22-8, 18-7, 23-17, 9-8)   FULL STATS   GALLERY

Futurosa #Forna was relentless on the backboards, out-rebounding Studio Zagreb 61 to 53, highlighted by an outstanding 28 offensive rebounds. Futurosa #Forna translated their physical superiority into a wave of transition opportunities, collecting a massive 34 steals while completely disrupting their opponents’ offensive execution.

Maria Chiara Mazzotti led the charge with supreme efficiency, exploding for a game-high 21 efficiency rating in under 20 minutes. She recorded 11 points, 7 steals, and an outstanding +31 plus-minus rating. Sveva Cavina anchored the interior with 15 points and 9 rebounds (efficiency of 20), while Carlotta Amendola added a highly efficient 10 points and 8 rebounds with a +29 rating. Amelie Nemec also reached double figures off the bench, knocking down two long-range shots to finish with 10 points.

Studio Zagreb struggled heavily against Futurosa’s full-court pressure, turning the ball over a staggering 45 times. The Croatian side shot just 22% from two (11/50). Lucija Peric and Pia Petra Pivic tied as team-high scorers with 7 points each, while Matea Mihailovic grabbed 7 rebounds but struggled with 10 turnovers under heavy coverage. Helena Hadzija provided a bright spot inside, scoring 6 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and recording 2 blocks.

 

Jezica-Sistema Rosa Poredenone 83-61 (19-13, 29-18, 17-24, 18-6)   FULL STATS  

Jezica executed beautifully inside the arc, converting a blistering 56% of their two-point attempts (24/43) and showing exceptional poise at the charity stripe, knocking down 17 of 21 free throws (81%). Jezica also asserted control on the defensive glass, securing 40 defensive rebounds to limit opponents’ second-chance opportunities and fuel a fluid transition game that yielded 18 assists.

Lina Zajsek put together a masterful all-around performance, leading Jezica with a game-high 23 efficiency rating and flirting with a double-double with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots, alongside a +16 plus-minus rating. Off the bench, Pia Pozar Tomsic was unstoppable, exploding for a game-high 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting inside the arc in just 27 minutes. Valerija Gradisar chipped in a well-rounded 11 points and 6 rebounds, while Katja Razborsek also reached double figures with 10 points.

Sistema Rosa Pordenone struggled to establish any offensive rhythm against Jezica‘s length, shooting just 32% from two-point range and a tough 12% from beyond the arc (2/16). Asia Bertolo fought in the paint to lead the Italians with 14 points and 9 rebounds, posting a team-high efficiency rating of 12. Swami Vicenzotto also provided great hustle with 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, but their sub-par shooting and 25 team turnovers allowed Jezica to keep the game safely out of reach.

 

Group B – Konjic (Konjicanka)

Konjic-Buducnost Trebjesa 46-77 (18-22, 6-15, 12-21, 10-19)   FULL STATS 

Buducnost Trebjesa established complete physical authority from the opening tip. Buducnost Trebjesa dominated the rebounding battle 53 to 40, including an astonishing 28 offensive rebounds that kept Konjic under constant pressure and generated numerous second-chance points. This active frontline play also led to 18 steals and 5 blocked shots, thoroughly disrupting Konjic’s offensive rhythm.

Anja Pinter put on an incredibly efficient performance for Buducnost Trebjesa off the bench, recording a game-high +25 plus-minus rating alongside 7 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks for an overall 17 efficiency rating. Vasilisa Miljanic led the team in scoring with 13 points, while Iva Milacic also finished in double figures with 10 points. Inside the paint, Jana Beljkas was a force, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds alongside 6 points.

Konjic struggled to cope with the defensive intensity and turned the ball over 27 times. Despite the heavy pressure, Lejla Mujala fought hard to lead all scorers with a game-high 13 points, including three makes from beyond the arc. Esma Alijagic provided a solid spark off the bench, adding 7 points and 5 rebounds, but Konjic’s 34% shooting inside the arc wasn’t enough to mount a serious threat.

 

Zrinjski 2010-Partizan 1953 40-55 (12-16, 10-8, 5-17, 13-14)   FULL STATS

The game was defined by high intensity and heavy ball pressure. Partizan 1953 found great rhythm from their backcourt, forcing Zrinjski into a staggering 28 turnovers. Partizan 1943 capitalized on these mistakes, collecting 16 steals over 40 minutes.

Jana Macvanski put on a masterclass performance for Partizan 1953, leading all players with a game-high efficiency rating of 22. She orchestrated the offense beautifully with 2 assists and a phenomenal 8 steals, while also chipping in 14 points and 4 rebounds. Milica Karaicic was the other double-digit scorer for the Belgrade side, providing a critical spark with 10 points in just over 13 minutes.

Zrinjski 2010 fought hard on the glass and won the free-throw battle, converting 17 of 30 attempts (57%) compared to Partizan’s brief 4-of-9 (44%) trips to the line. However, a tough shooting night from beyond the arc—making just 1 of 13 attempts (8%)—made it difficult to mount a sustained comeback.

Ena Opancar delivered a valiant effort for Zrinjski 2010, fighting through the defense to secure a powerful double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Nina Zelenika also stepped up for the Mostar-based team, finishing the night with 11 points and 7 rebounds.

 

Group B – Samokov (Arena Samokov)

Septemvri 97-UZKK Student 101-37 (25-3, 27-13, 23-11, 26-10)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO  

Septemvri 97 fired on all cylinders from the opening tip, showcasing lethal efficiency across the floor. Septemvri 97 shot a blistering 53% from the two-point range and connected on 11 three-pointers (35%), while completely overwhelming UZKK Student in every statistical category. The Bulgarian side’s defense was equally relentless, racking up 24 steals and forcing 40 turnovers.

Daria Tsvetkova anchored the paint with an incredible double-double, missing just one shot all night to finish with 18 points and 12 rebounds, earning a game-high efficiency rating of 31. Matching her impact on the perimeter, Aneliya Yordanova exploded for a game-high 23 points, including 5 brilliant strikes from beyond the arc. Natali Dimitrova provided phenomenal energy off the bench with 13 points and 5 steals, while Natali Panaretova anchored the second unit with 8 points and a team-high +36 plus-minus rating.

UZKK Student had no answers for September 97’s continuous ball pressure and rapid transition game. Teodora Antic fought valiantly through the tough coverage to lead her team with 14 points and 5 rebounds. Natalija Lilic battled hard on the glass to secure a team-high 9 rebounds, but the Serbian team’s struggles to take care of the ball and a tough night inside the arc (32% 2P) prevented them from stringing together any significant scoring runs.

 

Rilski Sportist-Champion 2006 (10-14, 28-11, 8-14, 13-17)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO  

The game was a defensive battle from start to finish, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm from the field. Rilski Sportist shot 30% from the two-point range and 24% from beyond the arc, but they made up for it with relentless work on the boards. Rilski Sportist out-rebounded Champion 2006 58 to 45, pulling down 14 offensive rebounds that proved crucial in creating second-chance opportunities.

Radost Petrova led Rilski Sportist with 14 points and added 9 rebounds. Desislava Borisova delivered a massive double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, recording an impressive team-high efficiency rating of 18. Daria Raikova also posted a double-double, contributing 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Siyana Atanasova rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.

Champion 2006 stayed competitive throughout the night thanks to an outstanding individual performance by Karmen Georgieva. Georgieva carried the offensive load, exploding for a game-high 23 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Inna Makova was the only other Champion 2006 player to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points.

While Champion 2006 held a slight edge in field-goal percentage, their struggles at the free-throw line ultimately cost them. They converted just 9 of their 21 free throws (43%), whereas Rilski Sportist took full advantage of their charity stripe visits, knocking down 16 of 23 attempts (70%).

 

Foto: Daniele Verde