Rīgas Zeļļi Secure Second EuroCup Victory Against Cedevita Olimpija
Rīgas Zeļļi defeated visiting Slovenian club Cedevita Olimpija 89-79 in third-round EuroCup play at Xiaomi Arena in Riga, lifting their group stage record to two wins and one loss. The Latvian club executed a precise game plan to control the match, though head coach Roks Kondratavičs noted that his squad still made numerous mental errors down the stretch that allowed the visitors to narrow the gap. Rīgas Zeļļi sits third in Group A standings after three matches, continuing an ambitious continental campaign as the first Latvian club to enter the competition since 2015. Head coach Roks Kondratavičs stated after the second EuroCup win that the Latvian basketball club does not pay attention to the tournament table at the beginning of the season and will only think about it after the regular season ends. Ja mēs tagad rādītu savu labāko spēli, es sāktu uztraukties!
the Rīgas Zeļļi coach remarked with an unexpected realization following the victory. In their opening EuroCup matches, “Rīgas zeļļi” defeated the Italian Serie A team Tortona “Derthona” 86-84 at home, but lost 86-87 away to the German team Rostock “Seawolves”. “Rīgas Zeļļu” debut in the ULEB EuroCup has been successful so far, with a home win and a minimal away loss representing a better outcome than anticipated.
🏀“Cedevita Olimpija” treneris skaidro, kas izšķīra spēles likteni pret “Rīgas Zeļļi”#sportazinas #basketbols #sports #zinashttps://t.co/78ZyVRNdYG
Tactical Preparation and Stopping Rihards Lomažs
Rīgas Zeļļi coaching staff conducted exhaustive video study on opposing guard and Latvian national team captain Rihards Lomažs. Kondratavičs acknowledged Lomažs remains an elite player whose offensive danger cannot be entirely neutralized, noting that the tactical priority was forcing him to play without the ball. Lomažs logged 29 minutes on the floor for the visiting side and finished with 14 points, keeping Cedevita Olimpija within striking distance before the hosts secured the ten-point margin. The coaching corps of the Latvian club “Rīgas Zeļļi” studied Cedevita Olimpija player Rihards Lomažs in great detail. Mēs zinājām, kur viņš dzīvo, ko viņam patīk ēst un visu pārējo,
joked the head coach of the Riga team, Roks Kondratavičs, regarding the preparations for facing the Latvian basketball national team captain. The Lithuanian specialist revealed that he personally did not need to specifically research Lomažs’s game because all the necessary information was provided by assistants who know the Latvian basketball player very well, a point also highlighted by the “Rīgas zeļļu” coach.
Roster Additions Expand Rotation Options
The home side welcomed back center Klāvs Čavars and playmaker Toms Skuja following early-season absences due to injuries. Čavars expressed excitement about returning to action after missing a month of competition, emphasizing his long-standing familiarity with fellow Latvian teammate Lomažs. Forward Varns pointed out that while the team still experiences occasional momentum swings and communication gaps as injured players re-integrate, the expanding rotation allows the coaching staff to distribute minutes beyond a core of six or seven players.
Logistical Hurdles and Record Attendance in Riga
Cedevita Olimpija arrived in Riga facing severe travel complications ahead of the midweek fixture. Club president Edgars Buļs stated the visitors’ luggage was left behind in Serbia during transit, and head coach Zvezdan Mitrović experienced entry documentation delays upon arrival. Despite high-demand visiting delegations presenting strict logistical requirements—including specific accommodation and dietary demands reminiscent of EuroLeague standards, as noted by Buļs regarding previous opponent Tortona Derthona—local organizers ensured the match proceeded smoothly. Buļs confirmed that the combination of the team’s early success and the presence of national team captain Lomažs drove ticket sales past the four-thousand mark, prompting organizers to open the arena’s third tier for the first time in club history. Edgars Buļs of the Latvian team “Rīgas Zeļļi”, revealed in “Rīta panorāma” what challenges the club encountered while organizing the EuroCup games. “Rīgas Zeļļi” savā laukumā “Xiaomi” arēnā uzņems Latvijas valstsvienības kapteiņa Riharda Lomaža pārstāvēto Ļubļanas “Cedevita Olimpija”. The guard has returned to the team coached by Zvezdan Mitrović, under whose guidance he debuted in the EuroLeague.
Worth a look
