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Champions “VEF Rīga” start the new Latvian-Estonian Basketball League season with an unexpected loss

“Liepāja” won at home with a score of 98:93 (20:20, 31:22, 32:17, 15:34) over “VEF Riga”.

The success of the winners was forged by Kārlis Siliņš, who scored 23 points, won 12 rebounds and three assists, and Ojārs Bērziņš, who scored 18 points. Another 13 points were scored by Kārlis Žunda and Richards Daniels Vanags.

Daniel Hamiltons, who also had 13 rebounds, Kristers Zoriks and Māris Gulbis were the top scorers for “VEF Riga” with 15 points.

At the beginning of the third quarter, the Liepaja team made a ten-point breakthrough, which turned out to be decisive, and took the lead with 66:44. In the last minute of the game, the Riga players managed to reduce the deficit to four points, but it was not enough for the team led by Jānis Gailīš to win.

Last season, “VEF Riga” won both matches – 83:77 and 102:71.

In another match, “Tartu Ulikool Maks & Moorits” coached by Nikolaj Mazur beat Tallinn “Kalev”/”Audentes” at home with the result 72:70.

In the main tournament, 16 teams will play a two-round tournament. The eight best will enter the quarterfinals in the spring. The champions will be determined in the final four tournament in April.

Latvia is represented in the tournament by six teams – “VEF Rīga”, “Ventspils”, “Ogre”, “University of Latvia”, “Valmiera Glass”/”Vidzemes Augstskola” and “Liepāja”. Estonia is represented by nine teams – “Parnu Sadam” , “University of Tartu”/”Maks & Moorits”, “Kalev”/”Cramo” of Tallinn, “TalTech” of Tallinn, “Avis Utilitas” of Rapla, “Tarvas” of Rakvere, “Kalev”/”Audentes” of Tallinn, “Viimsi” of Hābnemes and the newcomer “Keila”. Also, the Ukrainian team “Prometey” will compete in the tournament. The Ukrainian team will participate in the LIBL competition for the first time.

The best men’s basketball clubs of Latvia and Estonia played in a joint championship for the first time in the 2019 season, when 15 teams participated. In the “Final 4” tournament, “Ventspils” basketball players became the first winners of the league.

Last year, “VEF Rīga” basketball players were crowned LIBL champions, who beat “Viimsi” represented by Ronald Zakis in the decisive match, while “Parnu Sadam” represented by Andras Mister won bronze.

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