King Szczecin defeats Nitra Blue Wings 88:81 in FIBA Europe Cup opener

Opening round victory in Szczecin

King Szczecin opened their FIBA Europe Cup campaign with an 88:81 home win against Slovakian side Nitra Blue Wings on Wednesday. The hosts entered the competition following earlier group-stage victories by fellow Polish clubs Dziki Warszawa and Zastal Zielona Góra. The visitors, who finished third in the Slovakian league, established early momentum by converting 5 three-point attempts during the first quarter. King Szczecin stayed competitive through balanced scoring, reaching halftime with a 55% shooting accuracy and 20 team rebounds. Despite those metrics, the Polish team trailed 41:43 at the interval after the opening quarters finished 23:25 and 18:18.

Third-quarter rally and lead expansion

The match shifted decisively in the second half following a difficult opening stretch for the hosts. Nitra Blue Wings opened a 10-point advantage early in the third quarter while King Szczecin managed only a single free throw over nearly 5 minutes of play. Tomasz Gielo initiated the comeback with active play on both ends of the floor, securing a defensive rebound before Zahir Porter converted a three-point play. Noah Reynolds then converted consecutive three-pointers alongside another perimeter shot from Gielo, pushing King into a 60:54 advantage by the end of the third period. The Polish team carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, extending their lead to as many as 20 points under head coach Maciej Majcherek.

Late pressure and individual performances

Nitra Blue Wings attempted a late comeback in the closing minutes, capitalizing on turnovers and defensive lapses to cut the deficit. Slovakian guard Lubomir Urban missed an open three-pointer that could have reduced the gap to 5 points, allowing Ondrej Sehnal to score and secure the outcome. Reynolds led King Szczecin with 16 points, making 4 of his 5 three-point attempts while adding 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals. Porter followed with 15 points, while Sehnal and Mikołaj Witliński scored 12 points each. Gielo added 11 points and Przemysław Żołnierewicz contributed 10 points, giving the Polish side 6 players in double figures.

Opposition totals and upcoming fixtures

For Nitra Blue Wings, Tristan Ikpe led all scorers on the court with 25 points. Dale Bonner, who previously played in Poland for MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza, contributed 16 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 9 steals. Peter Kovacik and Tamario Adley added 12 and 10 points, respectively, for the Slovakian club. One regional report recorded the final scoreline as 88:80, though quarter scores of 23:25, 18:18, 21:13, and 26:25 establish the 88:81 result. King Szczecin will play their next FIBA Europe Cup fixture on 13 October, traveling to Austria to face BC Hallmann Vienna.