Global Courts, Local Pride

2025-06-26 09:11

JvNU's historic SIAS tournament in China

After nearly three years of preparation, John von Neumann University proudly became the first and only European university to participate in the SIAS University Intercontinental Basketball Tournament 2025. This prestigious event boasts a rich history of over two decades.

Thanks to the Pannonia Scholarship and the collaborative efforts of the Foreign Affairs Office and the Sports Center, students and staff from John von Neumann University embarked on a nine-day trip to China. This visit, part of their international mobility program, offered a unique opportunity. Beyond experiencing diverse sports cultures, participants had the chance to immerse themselves in the local customs and learn more about their host institution.

Below, Gábor Bindics, P.E. Teacher and Team Leader at John von Neumann University, shares insights into the background of their journey to China, the team's performance at the tournament, and their exciting plans for the future. Following his reflections, you can read about the personal experiences of Gergely Kovács, Team Captain, during his time in China.

A Season of Growth and Global Ambition

Reflecitons of Gábor Bindics, P.E. Teacher and Team Leader at John von Neumann University: 

Our current basketball team, which competes in the Budapest university league and trains weekly, has been operating in this format for two years. This year, we were fortunate to see an influx of first-year students with prior basketball experience. This boosted our roster significantly and helped us achieve some impressive results: we secured 2nd place in the BEFS championship and clinched 1st place at the Technical Higher Education Sports Days.

This marks our first 1st place finish in over a decade, with the last one occurring when the institution was known as Kecskemét College, under the leadership of Tamás Kégel.

The majority of our team comprises amateur players who had previously taken a break from the sport but reignited their passion here at the university. Several of them had previously honed their skills at the Kecskemét Basketball Academy. They were ably supported by Levente Szemerédi and Dávid Pettner from the KTE U21 team, alongside Gergely Kovács, a standout talent from the NB1/B's Nagykőrösi Sólymok team. This formidable lineup enabled us to accept the invitation and embark on our journey to China.

Tournament Experience - A Valuable Learning Curve:

We genuinely didn't know what to expect from our opponents – whether we'd face enthusiastic amateurs or disciplined, highly skilled, professional-level teams. It turned out to be the latter. We came agonizingly close twice but ultimately couldn't secure a win. Of course, had Levente, our only tall player, not suffered an injury on day one, we likely would have defeated the Thai team and played the Mongolians for 7th place.

The top two teams in the groups, Malaysia and South Korea, were significantly more prepared than the rest. Their superior readiness was evident in their excellent team structures, incredible speed, and relentless defensive double-teaming. Our only real chance against them would have been if all our John von Neumann University students who play for the KTE adult team had been able to join us.

Looking Ahead:

We successfully deepened our friendship with Melo, the coach from the organizing Sias University. Not only have we received an invitation for next year's tournament, but there will also be a tournament in Malaysia in December, where we are also expected.

Locally, we are keen to establish a county league for the team to further develop their skills. This year, we launched the John von Neumann League for this purpose, involving six teams. We are eager to repeat this initiative next year and encourage even more teams to register at the university's sports center!

Beyond the Court: A Player's Take

Reflections of Gergely Kovács, Team Captain:

First and foremost, we are incredibly grateful to John von Neumann University for making this trip possible. It's not every day one gets to visit China! We had so many experiences and encountered countless new things during our week there, starting with the flight itself. For many of us, including me, it was our first time flying. It was a bit long, but we managed.

Our accommodation and the arenas where we played were all located within the university campus, which was a very livable environment for students. The campus boasted many beautiful buildings, as well as gorgeous parks and open spaces. We had the opportunity to use electric scooters to get around, which was a huge relief since the campus was otherwise enormous, and we used them to travel to all our matches.

Most of our games were held in the evenings, allowing many students to come out and watch. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to win any matches, even though we came very close on several occasions. We weren't as fast or as cohesive as our opponents, and an injury also significantly hindered our team. Despite all this, I believe we held our own honorably, and we learned a great deal about the local basketball culture.

Overall, the people we encountered were incredibly hospitable, and I believe we had a truly wonderful time during that week. We hope we will be able to play at this tournament again next year!