VEF Rīga Suffers First FIBA Europe Cup Defeat Against CSM Oradea

Latvian basketball club VEF Rīga suffered a defeat on October 21 against CSM Oradea in Romania, falling 92-84. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Riga side, shifting the H Group standings as the team prepares to face Greek club Mykonos next week.

Oradea clinches home victory in Group H

The match in Romania saw the hosts, CSM Oradea, secure their second win of the group stage behind a strong performance from former VEF Rīga player Kriss Ričardss. Kriss Ričardss guva 16 punktus un pārtvēra četras bumbas spēlē, kurā viņa pārstāvētā “Oradea” uzvarēja “VEF Rīga”. The defeat leaves VEF Rīga with a 2-1 record in the group, trailing both Mykonos and Oradea in the current standings.

VEF Rīga struggled to overcome a 13-point deficit during the second half, though they managed to narrow the gap to four points late in the fourth quarter. The comeback effort was hampered when guard Jordan Sears suffered a left ankle injury with 100 seconds remaining, forcing him out of the game. Despite the loss, Luis Rodriguez paced the Latvian team with 21 points, while Sears added 16 points and four assists before his departure.

Osborns leads scoring in close contest

The visitors held the lead throughout the first quarter, ending the opening period ahead 23-20 following a basket by Ojārs Siliņš. As Oradea pushed their lead to four points, Luis Rodriguez leveled the score with a successful three-point shot. For the hosts, Osborns led the scoring with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Gurjē added 12 points and eight rebounds.

Hand injury sidelines high-scoring Rihards Aleksandrovs

Before the loss in Romania, VEF Rīga had established itself as the highest-scoring team in the FIBA Europe Cup, averaging 108 points per game through its first two appearances, LSM reported. The team opened its campaign with a 106-83 victory over Lokomotiv Plovdiv and followed with a 110-94 win against Neftchi in Baku. In the latter contest, Rihards Aleksandrovs recorded a career-high 27 points, though he was unavailable for the Oradea match due to a hand injury, according to LSM.

Mareks Mejeris, who contributed 13 points and nine rebounds against Oradea, noted prior to the game that the team’s high-tempo style is designed to exhaust opponents. Mejeris, who previously played two seasons in the Romanian league, emphasized that the team’s tactical focus remained on shortening opponent rotations. Despite these efforts, the team’s defensive metrics remained a concern, with the squad allowing an average of 88 points per game throughout the early group phase.

VEF Rīga hosts Mykonos on October 28

The FIBA Europe Cup format requires teams to play ten matches—five at home and five on the road—with the top two teams from each group advancing to the next stage. Following the loss to Oradea, VEF Rīga is scheduled to host Mykonos on October 28. The team also faces a domestic league matchup against Valmiera Glass/ViA on October 24 before returning to European competition. Separately, Valmiera Glass/Vidzemes Augstskola secured an 82-74 home victory over Tallinn’s Bigbank/Kalev in local action.

Head coach Jevgēnijs Kosuškins acknowledged the loss in a post-game statement, marking the first setback for the team in this year’s tournament. VEF Rīga currently sits third in Group H, while Mykonos leads the group with a 3-0 record. The status of Jordan Sears’ ankle injury remains a primary concern for the coaching staff as the team prepares for the upcoming home fixture.