The first-leg return matches of the Latvian Basketball Cup opening round get underway in Bauska, where Bauska hosts Sigulda Sports School at the Bauska Sports Hall. Tip-off is scheduled for 20:00 local time. This fixture marks the opening salvo of a busy stretch of elimination games across the country, featuring a record 24 teams competing in the tournament.
Thursday’s opening clash serves as a precursor to a heavier slate on Friday evening. Action tips off at 19:30 local time at the Kandava Sports Hall, where Kandava Anzāģe/Turība faces Salaspils Sports School. That game is followed by a four-match window at 20:00 local time. Jelgava hosts Tukums/TSS at the Jelgava Sports Hall, Ķekava meets Ādaži/Daily at the Ķekava Sports Complex, Dienvidkurzemes novads plays WWD/Cēsis at the Grobiņa Sports Center, and Jēkabpils BA squares off against Gulbenes Buki/BJSS at the Jēkabpils Sports Hall.
The opening round concludes on Saturday with two afternoon fixtures. ODS welcomes Salaspils/API Mobile to the Grobiņa Sports Center at 18:00 local time, while Saldus plays Basketbola klase Valka/BJSS at the Saldus Sports House.
First-Leg Results Shape Return Matches
Teams return to the floor carrying the weight of decisive margins from the opening legs. Salaspils/API Mobile established a commanding 102–60 victory over ODS, while Jelgava cruised past Tukums/TSS with a 91–50 scoreline. Bauska earned a 100–71 win against Sigulda Sports School, and Ķekava defeated Ādaži/Daily 99–54.
Elsewhere, Dienvidkurzemes novads carries a 93–82 advantage into their second meeting with WWD/Cēsis. Gulbenes Buki/BJSS defeated Jēkabpils BA 91–56, Kandava Anzāģe/Turība posted a dominant 111–49 win over Salaspils Sports School, and Saldus beat Basketbola klase Valka/BJSS 97–54.
The expanded 24-team field features every participant from the Regional Basketball League and nearly all National Basketball League squads, excluding RSU/VEF Rīga. Seven teams from the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League, alongside NBL’s RSU/VEF Rīga, receive byes directly into the round of 16.
Tournament Path and Bracket Implications
Winners of these opening-round aggregate series advance to the round of 16, scheduled between Christmas and New Year’s Day, where they will face the top-tier Latvian-Estonian League clubs or RSU/VEF Rīga. The tournament bracket outlines potential third-round matchups based on the outcomes of these preliminary series.
Meanwhile, the victor between Salaspils/API Mobile and ODS will test themselves against RSU/VEF Rīga.
On the other side of the bracket, Ogre will face the survivor of the Gulbenes Buki/BJSS and Jēkabpils BA pairing. Valmiera Glass/Vidzemes augstskola draws the winner between Tukums/TSS and Jelgava, Ventspils awaits either Basketbola klase Valka/BJSS or Saldus, and Liepāja meets the winner of Kandava Anzāģe/Turība versus Salaspils Sports School.
Following the round of 16, the competition shifts to a two-legged home-and-away format for the quarterfinals from January 9 to January 16, and the semifinals from January 23 to January 30. The single-game final is scheduled for February 20.
The men’s Latvian Basketball Cup was contested historically from 1949 to 1994 before being revived in the 2021–22 season. VEF Rīga captured the title in each of the first four years following its revival. In last season’s final, Valmiera Glass/ViA defeated Ventspils 84–70 to claim the trophy.
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