In the closing minutes of the Latvijas–Igaunijas Basketbola līga, VEF Rīga secured a narrow 97–89 victory away against reigning champions Valmiera Glass VIA, while Rīgas Zeļļi extended their winning run to six matches with a 103–70 rout of Keila, according to match reports. While Rīga’s dominant clubs continue to dictate the upper tiers of the regional standings, the weekend slate delivered high-stakes finishes and milestone performances across Latvian and Estonian arenas.
VEF Rīga holds off injury-hit Valmiera Glass VIA in late thriller
VEF Rīga controlled the tempo for large stretches of the contest at the Valmiera Olympic Center, maintaining a comfortable double-digit lead through the opening three quarters. However, a depleted Valmiera roster—missing injured imports Prince Oduro and Darren Williams alongside recovering veterans Artis Ate and Mārcis Vītols—mounted a furious late charge. Valmiera briefly claimed a one-point advantage in the penultimate minute before Ojārs Siliņš intervened with a clutch three-pointer and a self-created mid-range jumper. Jēkabs Niedra then sealed the 97–89 result from the free-throw line in the final minute, as detailed by Sportacentrs.com match logs.
Aigars Šķēle paced the victors with 18 points and six assists, while Luis Rodríguez chipped in 17 points. For the hosts, Bryce McBride poured in 30 points, and Jake Heidbreder contributed 21 points alongside eight rebounds. Valmiera relied heavily on its bench depth, including 18-year-old playmaker Ralfs Mūrnieks, who scored ten points in limited minutes. The defeat marks Valmiera’s first blemish of the regional campaign, dropping their record to six wins and one loss.
Rīgas Zeļļi routs Keila to preserve an unblemished record
Rīgas Zeļļi maintained their perfect start to the season with a 103–70 dismantling of Keila at Daugava Sports House. Thomas Talts led the hosts with 15 points, while Tyler Wahl and Ben Shungu added 13 points apiece, with Shungu distributing ten assists. Klāvs Čavars and Tony Perkins each chipped in 12 points, anchoring a balanced Rīga attack that overwhelmed the visiting Estonian side.
The victory keeps Rīgas Zeļļi alongside VEF Rīga as the only two clubs remaining undefeated in regulation play, with Zeļļi sitting at six wins and zero losses. The roster depth faces an immediate test, however, following a lateral collateral ligament sprain suffered by forward Isaac Johnson, prompting the club to add center Ody Oguama ahead of upcoming fixtures.
Standings reflect early dominance by Latvian clubs
As the first full month of the Latvijas–Igaunijas Basketbola līga draws to a close, Latvian clubs occupy the top four positions in the league table. VEF Rīga sets the pace at 7–0, closely followed by Rīgas Zeļļi at 6–0, Valmiera Glass VIA at 6–1, and Ventspils at 5–2. Estonian teams occupy the subsequent four spots in the playoff hunt, led by Tartu Ülikool/Maks & Moorits and TalTech/Alexela.
At the lower end of the table, the Rīgas Ekselences Juniori (REJ) squad—composed primarily of 17- to 19-year-old prospects—stands ninth with a 2–3 record, having secured notable wins over Latvijas Universitāte and Viimsi. The regular season features a double-loop round-robin format, with the top eight teams advancing to the quarterfinal playoffs ahead of the championship finale scheduled for April 10, 2027.
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