“Rīgas zeļļi” overcame a 15-point deficit and celebrated the victory with 91:88 (17:25, 24:24, 26:17, 24:22).
The first three points were scored by the home team “Rīgas žeļli” after Akuel Kot’s long shot, but “VEF Rīga” responded with eight points, taking an 8-3 lead after Dair Bertāns’ long shot and gradually increasing it. “Vefians” achieved the biggest advantage in the middle of the third quarter, when Rihards Berkold’s long shot made it 61:46.
“Rīgas žeļli”, gradually reducing the points deficit, equalized the score and took the lead with 69:66 at the beginning of the fourth quarter after Dāvidas Vīksnes hit the ball into the basket from above.
“VEF Rīga” answered with five scored points, but in the middle of the quarter, “Rīgas zeļli” regained the lead after Justin McCoy’s long shot – 77:76.
106 seconds before the end of regular time, McCoy made an 84-80 advantage with his sixth accurate long shot in the match, but Bertans immediately responded with an accurate three-point shot, who did not make a free throw.
20 seconds before the end of regular time, Roberts Bērziņš, who previously played for VEF Rīga, made a long shot with a rebound against the shield – 87:83.
Less than four seconds before the end of regular time, Vyacheslav Bobrovs brought “VEF Riga” closer to 88:89 with a long shot.
Cote responded with two accurate free throws, but the Weffians’ counterattack ended after Gage Davis-McMarin got offside.
It has already been reported that in the first game of the day, “Ogre” won 90:74 (23:27, 21:19, 17:9, 29:19) against “University of Latvia” (LU) at home.
This season, the champion of the tournament, the Ukrainian team “Prometey” of Slobojansk, which ceased operations in the summer, is not playing in the league.
Latvian teams “University of Latvia”, “Liepāja”, “Ogre”, “Rīgas Zeļļi”, “Valmiera Glass” Augstskola”, “Ventspils” and “VEF Rīga” are playing in the LIBL this season, while Estonia is represented by Tallinn’s “Kalev” “Keila”, Keilas “Coolbet”, “Parnu Sadam”, “TalTech” of Tallinn, “University of Tartu” & Moorits”, “Utilitas” of Rapla and “Viimsi”.
In the main tournament, the teams will play two rounds, after which the eight best teams will enter the quarterfinals, fighting for a place in the final four.
The best men’s basketball clubs of Latvia and Estonia played in a joint championship for the first time in the 2019 season, when 15 teams participated in the competition. “Ventspils” became the first winners of the league in the final four tournament.
Last season, the basketball players of Slobojanska “Prometey” became the champions.
2024-09-22 07:48:26