VEF Rīga opened their FIBA Europe Cup group stage schedule with a 106-83 win against Bulgarian runners-up Lokomotiv Plovdiv on October 7, 2026, bouncing back from qualification disappointment in the FIBA Champions League. Jordan Sears led the Latvian club with 30 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, giving head coach Jevgēnijs Kosuškins’s side an early advantage.
The win marks VEF Rīga’s first appearance in this tier of European competition since the 2009-10 season, when the tournament operated under the name EuroChallenge, after the team missed out on the Champions League main draw through the qualifying rounds this autumn. The match details noted that the Latvian side crossed the century mark three minutes before the final buzzer.
Early Deficit Overcome in First Quarter
A left ankle injury sustained in Latvian-Estonian Basketball League play initially threatened Aigars Šķēle’s availability, but the guard was named in the starting lineup alongside Sears, Luis Rodríguez, Rihards Aleksandrovs, and Mareks Mejeris. Lokomotiv took control during the opening exchanges, as former Keila Coolbet player Isaiah Thompson hit a three-pointer to build a 16-9 lead for the visitors mid-way through the first five minutes.
VEF Rīga responded through an inside dunk from Mejeris and steady free-throw shooting from Ojārs Siliņš, which leveled the score at 27-27 by the end of the first period. Siliņš and Sears opened the second quarter with perimeter shots to initiate a scoring run, while Šķēle utilized sharp dribble penetration to stretch the home lead to 53-41 by halftime.
Sears and Rodríguez Lead Stat Sheets
Sears finished his performance shooting 5-for-5 on two-pointers, 5-for-11 from beyond the arc, and 5-for-8 at the free-throw line. Panama national team player Luis Rodríguez contributed a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. From the domestic rotation, Siliņš shot 4-for-6 on three-pointers to finish with 16 points, while Šķēle collected 12 points and 12 assists for his own double-double.
Bulgarian visitors Lokomotiv were paced by 21 points and nine assists from Ramsey, while Brown added 18 points and Minkov scored 15. In the third quarter, Rihards Aleksandrovs capitalized on opportunities near the rim, and Siliņš hit two consecutive three-pointers just before the period concluded to push the margin past 20 points at 79-56.
Century Mark Reached in Closing Minutes
With three minutes remaining on the game clock, Sears converted another field goal to push VEF Rīga past the 100-point threshold. Frontcourt newcomer Matt Rogers added a corner three-pointer, and Aleksandrovs sealed the 106-83 final score with the game’s final points. The victory positions VEF Rīga in their pursuit of a top-two finish to advance past the group phase.
FIBA Eiropas kausu sākam ar ļoti pārliecinošu uzvaru pret Bulgārijas vicečempioniem “Lokomotiv Plovdiv”. ⚫️⚪️🏀⚫️ Sears – 30 PTS | 8 REB | 6 AST⚪️ Rodriguez – 20 PTS | 10 REB⚫️ Siliņš – 16 PTS⚪️ Šķēle – 12 PTS | 12 AST | 7 REBPALDIES visiem par atbalstu šajā vakarā! 🖤 https://t.co/YvFQf8yK2u
— VEF Rīga (@vefriga) October 7, 2026
Upcoming Fixtures
VEF Rīga will travel to Azerbaijan for their next FIBA Europe Cup fixture on October 14, 2026, to face Neftchi. The group stage schedule continues through December, with home and away fixtures against Oradea, Mykonos, Fribourg, and the return fixture against Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
