WABA U17: Opening Round Filled with Dominant Wins and Drama in Samokov

The new WABA U17 season kicked off with an explosive opening round of basketball across the region. Fans were treated to everything from high-scoring offensive masterclasses and defensive clinics to a thrilling all-Bulgarian battle.

 

2026-27 WABA U17 – Group Stage

Week 1, Day 1 (September 18)

Group A – Celje (Gimnazija Center Celje):

Maribor-Triglav 62-22 (23-4, 17-4, 13-2, 11-12)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO

Maribor made a powerful statement in their opening WABA U17 matchup, cruising to a comprehensive 64-22 victory over Triglav. Head Coach Robert Stojkovic’s squad completely controlled the game from start to finish, exploiting their size and activity to overwhelm their opponents.

Maribor absolutely dominated the battle on the boards, pulling down 52 total rebounds, including an incredible 22 offensive rebounds that generated multiple second-chance opportunities. Defensively, Maribor choked out Triglav’s offense, holding them to just 21% from two-point range and forcing 27 turnovers, turning defensive stops into efficient transition points.

Top Scorer & MVP: Mila Miljus (Maribor) put on a spectacular performance, leading all players with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and a game-high 4 assists, earning an overall efficiency rating of 21.

Balanced Offensive Attack: Anais Gobec and Tajra Ribic provided excellent inside-out presence for Maribor, each contributing 11 points and combining for 14 rebounds. Meanwhile, Veronika Ferjancic remained perfectly clinical, shooting a flawless 4-for-4 from the field to finish with 8 points and 3 blocks.

Triglav’s Resistance: In a tough offensive outing for Coach Luka Mezan’s team, Tara Kosec fought hard to score a team-high 8 points, while Liza Zec Jesenko anchored the defense with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

 

Group A – Trieste (Cubone):

Futurosa #Forna-Jezica 90-77 (21-24, 19-20, 24-18, 26-15)   FULL STATS

Futurosa #Forna edged past Jezica with a thrilling 90-77 victory. Head Coach Stefano Attruia’s team put on an offensive clinic inside the arc, shooting a sharp 50% from two-point range and displaying elite poise from the charity stripe, hitting 21-of-28 free throws to secure the hard-fought win.

Jezica controlled the boards throughout the contest, winning the total rebound battle 48-38 and finding rhythm from long distance (43% 3PT). However, Futurosa’s relentless ball pressure forced Jezica into 31 total turnovers, making the difference in an explosive game that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Co-MVPs of the Match: Carlotta Amendola and Maria Delise put together two of the best individual performances of the opening round, scoring a spectacular 27 points each for Futurosa. Amendola shot an incredible 11-of-16 from two-point range, while Delise put on a masterful display by drawing fouls and finishing 8-of-10 from the free-throw line with an outstanding game-high efficiency rating of 27.

All-Around Impact: Maria Chiara Mazzotti orchestrated Futurosa’s offensive tempo seamlessly, contributing 10 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds.

Jezica’s Resistance: Tana Osolnik led Jezica’s offensive fight with an impressive 17 points and 6 rebounds. Lina Zajsek chipped in a well-rounded 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Vita Bavdek added 12 points and 7 rebounds in a resilient team effort.

 

Sistema Rosa Pordenone-Studio Zagreb 82-64 (23-15, 17-18, 21-16, 21-15)   FULL STATS

Sistema Rosa Pordenone powered past Studio Zagreb with a commanding 82-64 victory. Head Coach Eleonora Carrer’s squad found their offensive rhythm early, shooting an impressive 53% from two-point range and displaying cohesive teamwork with 11 total assists.

Studio Zagreb dominated the boards with 52 total rebounds (including 23 offensive rebounds), but struggled to find consistency on offense against Pordenone’s tight defensive pressure, which forced 24 turnovers.

Top Scorer & MVP: Asia Bertolo (Sistema Rosa Pordenone) led the floor with a stellar 18 points and a dominant 11 rebounds, recording a double-double and a game-high efficiency rating of 21.

Impact Off the Bench: Amina Kasse (Sistema Rosa Pordenone) provided a massive spark, contributing 14 points with perfect 2-for-2 three-point shooting.

Zagreb’s Leaders: Pia Petra Pivic scored a team-high 13 points for Studio Zagreb, while Marta Vuksa put up an efficient 12 points and 11 rebounds. Lucija Peric also anchored Zagreb’s defense with 12 rebounds and a team-high efficiency rating of 16.

 

Group B – Konjic (Konjicanka):

Konjic-Zrinjski 2010 71-44 (12-11, 16-10, 24-13, 19-10)   FULL STATS 

In a highly anticipated domestic rivalry on the regional stage, Konjic powered past Zrinjski 2010 with a definitive 71-44 victory. Head Coach Edin Ravnjak’s team put on a spectacular shooting display, clicking on all cylinders inside the perimeter to finish with a stellar 65% from two-point range (20-of-31).

Zrinjski 2010 fought hard and performed well from the free-throw line (64%), but ultimately struggled to match Konjic’s fluid offensive execution. Konjic’s precise ball movement was the highlight of the game, as they dished out 17 assists while limiting their own mistakes to control the tempo from start to finish.

Top Scorer & MVP: Esma Alijagic (Konjic) delivered an incredibly efficient performance off the bench, scoring a game-high 15 points in just 18 minutes. She shot 2-of-3 from two-point range, 3-of-4 from downtown, and pulled down 4 rebounds to secure a team-high efficiency rating of 17.

Balanced Starters: Lejla Mujala and Lamija Hodzic each contributed 11 points to pilot the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Ejla Ravnjak controlled the glass for Konjic, flirting with a double-double by pulling down a game-high 9 rebounds alongside 9 points and 6 assists.

Zrinjski’s Leaders: Nina Zelenika led the resistance for Zrinjski 2010, logging a team-high 14 points and 7 rebounds. Barbara Vrdoljak added a well-rounded 6 points and 6 rebounds with a flawless 4-of-4 record from the charity stripe.

 

Buducnost Trebjesa-Partizan 1953 53-62 (15-14, 17-16, 6-19, 15-13)   FULL STATS 

Partizan 1953 squeezed past Buducnost Trebjesa with a thrilling 62-53 victory. Both teams displayed historically clinical shooting numbers from the field, but Partizan 1953 proved slightly sharper in the clutch to seize the win.

The game was defined by mind-boggling efficiency numbers. Partizan 1953 shot an unbelievable 87% from two-point range (13-of-15) and a blistering 83% from downtown (10-of-12). Buducnost Trebjesa was nearly as lethal, firing 65% inside the arc and 78% from long distance (7-of-9). Partizan’s ability to take care of the ball and distribute effectively ultimately made the difference.

Top Scorer & MVP: Svetlana Tesanović (Partizan 1953) put on a shooting masterclass off the bench, logging a game-high 19 points with a flawless 2-for-2 from two-point range and 5-for-5 from behind the arc, leading her team with an efficiency rating of 20.

Flawless Frontcourt Performance: Jana Macvanski (Partizan 1953) was unstoppable, recording 16 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from two-point range and 1-for-1 from three, while adding 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

Buducnost’s Fighting Spirit: Vladana Guzina spearheaded the offense for Buducnost Trebjesa, scoring 13 points on perfect shooting (3-of-3 2PT, 1-of-1 3PT, 4-of-4 FT). Lola Rackovic also reached double digits with 11 points, landing a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the three-point line.

 

Group B – Samokov (Arena Samokov):

Rilski Sportist-Septemvri 97 78-84 (16-14, 21-19, 20-26, 21-25)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO   GALLERY

In a spectacular, high-stakes domestic showdown on the regional stage, Septemvri 97 narrowly outlasted Rilski Sportist with a thrilling 84-78 victory. Head Coach Galina Stoyanova’s squad relied on relentless intensity beneath the glass and clutch free-throw execution down the stretch to pull away in a fiercely contested game.

Rilski Sportist  put on an elite display of shooting accuracy, hitting 54% of their two-point attempts and a blistering 41% from beyond the three-point arc (9-of-22). However, Septemvri 97 turned the tide by dominating the glass, out-rebounding Rilski 46-36 and pulling down 19 offensive rebounds to manufacture crucial second-chance points that tipped the scale.

Top Scorer & MVP: Aneliya Yordanova (Septemvri 97) carried her team with a spectacular all-around performance, logging 25 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 assists, resulting in a team-high efficiency rating of 22.

Double-Double Dominance: Daria Tsvetkova (Septemvri 97) anchored the paint with an incredible double-double, racking up 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds (7 offensive). Magdalena Vladimirova added a near double-double with 9 points and 10 rebounds.

Rilski’s Offensive Firepower: Daria Raikova led Rilski Sportist with 22 points on highly efficient shooting (5-of-7 2PT, 3-of-4 3PT). Radost Petrova followed closely with 20 points, while point guard Nikol Hristova directed the floor beautifully, finishing with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and a game-high efficiency rating of 26.

 

Champion 2006-UZKK Student 112-29 (43-6, 25-5, 22-1, 22-17)   FULL STATS   FULL GAME VIDEO 

Champion 2006 put on an absolute masterclass in their WABA U17 group stage match, cruising to a commanding 112-29 victory over UZKK Student. Head Coach Irena Koleva’s squad dominated every facet of the game from the opening tip, showcasing incredible depth and highly efficient scoring options.

Champion 2006 utilized an aggressive, trapping defense that completely paralyzed their opponents, forcing an astonishing 51 turnovers and translating them into 40 steals. Offensively, they were highly clinical inside the arc, converting 58% of their two-point field goals (34-of-59) and vastly outmatching Student on the boards with a 45-32 rebounding advantage.

Top Scorer & MVP: Karmen Georgieva (Champion 2006) delivered a flawless performance, leading all scorers with 26 points on an exceptional 7-of-10 shooting from two-point range and a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. She also grabbed 6 rebounds and grabbed a game-high 8 steals, earning an incredible performance efficiency rating of 41.

All-Around Firepower: Monika Dyozova provided an excellent spark off the bench with 15 points (including 2-of-2 from three), while Inna Makova anchored the starting unit with 13 points and 5 steals. Aleksandra Petkova and Vyara Vassileva also reached double figures, contributing 11 points each.

UZKK Student’s Battle: In a very challenging game for the Serbian side, Natalija Lilic led the team with 8 points and 4 rebounds, while Danica Dinic fought hard under the basket to log 6 points and a team-high 6 rebounds.

 

Foto: Rilski Sportist