Phard Napoli claimed an important win on Wednesday in the very first round of the EuroLeague women by prevailing 68-59 in Group C at Wisla Can-Pack Krakow.

Triumphs away from home will make passage to the next phase off the competition so much easier, so Roberto Ricchini, the coach of Phard, will be smiling all the way back to the south of Italy.

Mery Andrade, the visitors 1.84m forward, had about as good a game a player hopes to have in a European opener, leading Phard with 17 points on eight of 12 shooting, including one of one from the arc. She also pulled down seven rebounds in the contest.

Andrade's jump shot early in the second quarter put her team in front at 22-21, and came during an 8-0 run which saw them take a 26-21 lead.

Victoria Bullett's jumper midway through the third quarter extended Phard's advantage to 37-27 - their biggest lead of the game.

Wisla refused to let Phard pull away, however, and three times closed to within a single point in the fourth quarter, the last when Jelena Skerovic buried a three-pointer with 7:25 left in the game.

They would never draw level, though, as the Italians seized a win which could be a sign that a successful campaign awaits them.

Anna De Forge had a game-high 24 points in defeat. She was outstanding from long range, burying six of eight attempts, but woeful inside the arc as she made just one of seven shots.