Just like on opening day, Friday’s action at the Cívis Cup in Debrecen brought another round of high-quality basketball. The Zaza Pachulia Academy came from behind in the second half to hand Prievidza Academy its first loss, while the hosts DEAC outlasted the tough and spirited Székely Selection in a close battle. In Group B, Partizan Beograd took control after halftime against MAFC, and the Hungarian national team cruised past Inter Bratislava to remain unbeaten.
The day tipped off with a clash between two unbeaten sides, Prievidza Academy and Zaza Pachulia Academy. The Slovaks seized control early, pressing aggressively and pushing the pace for easy transition buckets, quickly building a lead. Zaza kept closing the gap, but Tomáš Bulík’s squad had an answer for every run and went into halftime up by eight. After the break, the momentum shifted completely — the Georgians mixed up their defensive schemes, chipped away at the deficit, and began knocking down threes. Despite a monster triple-double from Matej Richter (25 points, 10 rebounds, 12 steals), the trio of Anton Kukulava, Saba Prangisvili, and Andria Kurdiani led Zaza’s comeback charge. They took over in the final quarter to secure a hard-fought 77–70 victory.
The other matchup in the group featured two teams desperate for their first win — DEAC Basketball Academy and the Székely Selection. The visitors started stronger, but the hosts found their rhythm midway through the opening frame with an 8–0 run to grab the lead. A strong finish to the first quarter gave DEAC a four-point edge, and thanks to efficient scoring from Máté Hámornyik and Péter Abuczki, they stretched it to 43–29 by halftime. The Székely team came out sharper after the break, tightening their defense and clawing their way back into the game. When Zalán Nemes hit his second three-pointer late in the fourth, the deficit was down to just one possession (62–59), but DEAC held their nerve. Led by Abuczki’s near triple-double (20 points, 13 rebounds, 8 steals), the hosts pulled away late for a well-deserved win.
In Group B, Partizan Beograd — coming off a loss to Hungary — faced MAFC, who had impressed offensively the previous day with a 117-point explosion. As expected, it was a fierce contest. The first half saw both teams trading baskets in an open, high-tempo game, with Partizan taking a narrow 42–39 lead into the locker room. The second half, however, belonged to the Serbs, who dominated the glass 64–36 and gradually took full control. Though the final 93–70 scoreline slightly flattered them, the victory was well-earned.
The Hungarian U14 national team’s matchup against Inter Bratislava offered little suspense. The Slovaks kept it close early, but a 31-point second quarter from Hungary blew the game wide open (73–29 at halftime). The dominance continued after the break — Hungary broke the 100-point mark in the third quarter and eventually rolled to a commanding 134–59 win.
Friday’s Cívis Cup Results:
BC Prievidza Academy – Zaza Pachulia Academy 70–77
Szeklerland Selection – DEAC Basketball Academy 62–70
BC Partizan Beograd – MAFC 93–70
Inter Bratislava – Hungary U14 59–134
Saturday’s Schedule:
11:00 MAFC – Hungary U14
13:15 Partizan Beograd – Inter Bratislava
16:30 Zaza Pachulia Academy – DEAC Basketball Academy
19:30 Prievidza Academy – Szeklerland Selection