WABA U17: Cinkarna Completes Perfect Weekend; Studio Zagreb Wins Thriller

The final day of the WABA U17 Week 2 tournament delivered high-stakes drama, spectacular comebacks, and nail-biting finishes. In a highly anticipated rematch of last season’s semifinal, Cinkarna Celje used an explosive third-quarter surge to defeat Futurosa #Forna 75-61, completing a flawless 3-0 weekend sweep.

The day was further highlighted by an incredibly tense battle between Studio Zagreb and Virovitica (72-69), which saw 15 lead changes and was decided by a clutch three-pointer from Gabrijela Druzic. Elsewhere, Triglav pulled off the comeback of the day, storming back from a 16-point deficit with a late 16-2 run to beat Feniks 77-64, while Sistema Rosa Pordenone relied on suffocating defense to force 35 turnovers and cruise past Posusje 57-37.

 

2026-27 WABA U17 League – Week 2

Sunday, October 11

Group A

Virovitica (Vladimir Nazor)

Cinkarna Celje-Futurosa #Forna 75-61 (20-26, 17-13, 23-4, 15-18)   FULL STATS   GALLERY

In a highly anticipated rematch of the 2025/26 WABA U17 League Semifinal, Cinkarna Celje defeated Futurosa # Forna 75-61 to complete an impressive 3-0 sweep in Week 2.

The first half was a highly competitive, back-and-forth affair. Neither team could establish a lasting edge, and neither side ever led by more than 6 points. Futurosa #Forna held a slim upper hand heading into the break, leading 39-36.

The game’s defining moment came during the halftime transition. Celje completely flipped the script with a devastating 24-2 scoring run. They erased their 36-39 deficit and turned it into a commanding 60-41 lead.

From there, Slovenia controlled the tempo and protected their double-digit lead until the final buzzer.

Aljasa Sodin delivered a spectacular performance to lead Celje, flirting with a double-double with 28 points and 8 rebounds, while drawing 8 fouls for a 26 efficiency rating. Nea Mlinaric provided crucial support with 17 points and 6 rebounds, while Nusa Brodnik added 14 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting from inside the arc.

Futurosa #Forna leaned on Carlotta Amendola, who posted a monster double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Still, her stellar individual effort couldn’t overcome Celje’s explosive third-quarter surge.

 

Virovitica-Studio Zagreb 69-72 (14-13, 15-20, 23-16, 17-23)   FULL STATS   GALLERY

The matchup was a true seesaw battle, defined by incredible parity from start to finish. Over the full 40 minutes, neither team ever led by more than 6 points. Reflecting the contest’s relentless nature, the game saw 11 ties and 15 lead changes, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats.

The dramatic climax unfolded in the final minutes. With just four minutes left, Virovitica looked to have seized control, building a 69-63 lead. However, their offense stalled, and they couldn’t score another basket for the rest of the game. Studio Zagreb capitalized on the drought. Gabrijela Druzic hit a clutch three-pointer to put Studio Zagreb up 70-69, and Lucija Peric stepped up shortly after to ice the game and seal the hard-fought win.

Studio Zagreb was led by Matea Mihailovic, who scored 18 points, and Lucija Peric, who added 17. Gabrijela Druzic finished the game with 13 points and 9 rebounds. On the other side, Virovitica’s standout was Viktorija Maljak, who dominated with 25 points. Lavinia Subota recorded a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort.

 

Group A

Kranj (Planina)

Triglav-Feniks 77-64 (12-19, 18-24, 29-13, 18-8)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO

Triglav pulled off a spectacular comeback against Feniks, storming back from a 16-point deficit to win 77-64 in a thrilling WABA League matchup.

Feniks opened the game with a dominant performance. They executed their offense flawlessly, jumping to a quick 15-6 lead. They continued to punish the hosts in the second quarter, reaching their largest lead of the game midway through the period at 38-22.

Triglav slowly chipped away at the lead, but they didn’t break through until late in the third quarter. The home side finally took their very first lead of the night in the 28th minute, edging ahead at 50-49.

The final quarter turned into a dramatic battle. With five minutes left, Feniks held their narrow 62-61 lead. From that moment on, Triglav locked down defensively and exploded offensively. They closed out the game with an astonishing 16-2 run, turning a nail-biter into a decisive 13-point victory.

Triglav dominated the glass, outrebounding Feniks 68-40 and earning numerous second-chance opportunities.

Tara Kosec led Triglav’s offense with a stellar performance, scoring 26 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Mila Ana Milic provided strong support in the paint, putting up a monster double-double with 13 points and 24 rebounds. Maja Majkic also stepped up, adding 17 points and 8 rebounds.

For Feniks, Anabela Topic fought hard with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Teodora Njezic added 14 points in a losing effort.

 

Sistema Rosa Pordenone-Posusje 57-37 (15-10, 12-5, 19-7, 11-15)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO

Sistema Rosa Pordenone delivered a dominant performance to defeat Posusje 57-37, controlling the game almost entirely from start to finish.

Posusje’s only lead came in the opening minutes, 2-4. From then on, the Italians took full control. Pordenone built a double-digit lead by halftime and confidently dictated the tempo through the second half. Posusje fought hard on the boards, outrebounding Pordenone 59 to 57, but they never threatened a comeback, as the deficit never fell back into single digits for the rest of the night.

Pordenone’s relentless defensive pressure forced Posusje into 35 turnovers, which completely disrupted the visitors’ offensive flow.

Chiara Giordano led Pordenone’s scoring with 14 points, hitting a brilliant 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Asia Bertolo put up an impressive all-around performance, finishing just shy of a double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Swami Vicenzotto also reached double figures, scoring 10 points to help secure the win, while Beatrice Facchin anchored the paint with 11 rebounds.

Petra Ivankovic led Posušje’s effort with 14 points, while Jelena Cesic added 9 points and 8 rebounds.

 

Foto: ŽKK Virovitica