Valmiera Loses 87-85 to Korfez in FIBA Europe Cup

Valmiera Glass/ViA suffered an 87-85 defeat against Turkish side Korfez in FIBA Europe Cup Group F play, dropping their record to one win and three losses through four matches.

Last-Second Defeat Decides Group F Thriller

Nepilnas divas sekundes līdz pamatlaika beigām valmieriešu rindās ar precīzu tālmetienu izcēlās Aminu Mohameds, samazinot pretinieku pārsvaru līdz vienam punktam. However, Korfez secured the victory at the free-throw line in the dying seconds, leaving the home side without sufficient time for a final response.

Valmiera kept pace through a tightly contested first half, holding the visitors to a maximum lead of five points before heading into halftime deadlocked at 40-40. Korfez seized momentum at the start of the third quarter by mounting a six-point advantage that eventually stretched to nine points. The hosts responded at the beginning of the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to claim a brief two-point lead, setting up the frantic final minute.

Offensive Output Led by Bryce McBride and Boo Buijs

Bryce McBride paced the Valmiera offense with 25 points and ten assists, while teammate Jake Heidbreder contributed 20 points and seven rebounds. Verner Kohs added 12 points and Aminu Mohamed chipped in 11 for the home side. On the opposing side, Korfez relied on Boo Buijs, who led all scorers with 29 points, alongside Johnny Davis, who added 16 points.

𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙮.🏀 @fibaeuropecup 🆚 Valmiera Glass Via🏟️ Vidzemes Olimpiskais Centrs🕞 20:00📺 FIBA YouTube pic.twitter.com/ugHmY5B5ZC

— https://x.com/korfezbasket/status/2115387647715680401

Korfez entered the competition under unusual circumstances after relocating from Manisa to Izmit in the Kocaeli province during the offseason, a move that sparked understandable frustration among supporters in Manisa. The Turkish roster features players with high-level pedigree, including Johnny Davis, who was selected 10th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and logged 112 regular-season appearances.

Group Standings and Qualification Implications

Following four rounds of play in the FIBA Europe Cup regular season, Korfez sits atop Group F with a 3-1 record. Valmiera Glass/ViA occupies fourth place with a 1-3 record, having previously secured an 82-74 home victory over Tallinn’s Bigbank/Kalev.

The FIBA Europe Cup group stage features 48 clubs divided into eight groups playing a double-round robin schedule. Only the top two finishers from each group advance to the second round, where 16 teams will be split into four groups ahead of the quarterfinals.