Anna Vajda provided much of the firepower for Hungary this summer in their successful EuroBasket Women 2009 qualifying campaign.

On Thursday, the power forward did the same for MiZo Pecs by pouring in a game-high 26 points to lead the Hungarian side to an opening-round 82-65 EuroLeague Women win over Halcon Avenida.

The 24-year-old Vajda, who averaged better than 16 points and 11 rebounds for Hungary, had 17 of her scoring haul on Thursday in the first half as Pecs took a 45-37 lead to the interval.

Halcon Avenida twice pulled to within two points in the third quarter.

Petra Stampalija's lay-up closed the gap to 49-47, only for MiZo to reel off six straight points in reply - including four on a pair of jump shots from Krisztina Raksányi.

Donnette Snow's lay-up reduced the arrears to 55-53 with 44 seconds to go in the frame but Raksányi again responded with a jump shot.

The excellent Brooke Queenan started the fourth quarter with a jumper to make it 59-53 for MiZo.

She would go on to pour in nine points in the first three and a half minutes of the final period as MiZo Pecs pulled away.

By game's end, Queenan had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

The team from Salamanca will look back at the game tape and know they hurt their cause by turning the ball over 21 times while forcing MiZo Pecs to commit just 10 turnovers.

Gunta Basko and Paula Ciocan were guilty of five turnovers each.

Stampalija's 17 points led the MiZo Pecs scorers.