LBL - Latvia

Latvian League Finals, Game 7: May 27, 2011

VEF Riga Champion Latvia 2010-11 (photo vefriga.com)VEF Riga is the new Latvian League champion! Despite trailing by 3-2 in the best-of-seven final series against BK Ventspils, VEF Riga managed to win the last two games and earned the crown on Friday night thanks to a last 82-87 win on the road. Bojan Bakic led the winners with 28 points including an amazing 5 of 7 threes. Sandis Valters helped with his 19 points and Kaspars Berzins posted 12. For Ventspils, Efejuku Oritseweyinmi led the way with 21 points, Akselis Vairogs added 12 and Rashad Anderson had 10. The first quarter looked good for the hosts, who were leading 22-18 after 10 minutes. However, dominance in rebounds by VEF Riga, who won that aspect by 26-44, allowed the guests to get back in the game and, in fact, won the next three quarters. By the halftime break the score was already tied at 35-35 and VEF Riga only increased the lead until the final buzzer for the domestic crown. The win earns VEF Riga now a spot for the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds and Ventspils will be in the Eurocup Qualifying Round, both teams pending meeting the minimum criteria established for each competition.

Latvian League, Finals Playoffs: best of 7 games
Record Team Game1 G. 2 G. 3 G. 4 G. 5 G. 6 G. 7
3 Ventspils(1) 70 75 85 93 71 70 82
4 VEF Riga (2) 79 72 90 55 62 72 87
3 3rd Liepajas (3) 100 81 93 x x - -
0 3rd Barons (5) 79 71 88 x x - -
Latvia League Champion 2010-11: VEF Riga

Semifinals Playoffs: best of 5 games
Record Team Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5
3 Ventspils (1) 78 72 84 x x
0 Barons/O!Karte (5) 66 63 77 x x
3 VEF Riga (2) 71 81 84 82 x
1 Liepajas Lauvas (3) 69 88 66 74 x

Quarterfinals Playoffs: best of 3 games
Record Team Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
2 Liepajas Lauvas (3) 91 90 x
0 Zemgale (6) 52 83 x
0 Valmiera (4) 70 69 x
2 Barons/O!Karte (5) 94 81 x

Final and 3rd place Playoffs round games
Game 1 Ventspils vs. VEF Riga 70-79 May 8
Game 1 Liepajas Lauvas vs. Barons/O!. 100-79 May 10
Game 2 VEF Riga vs. Ventspils 72-75 May 11
Game 2 Barons/O!Karte vs. Liepajas L. 71-81 May 13
Game 3 Ventspils vs. VEF Riga 85-90 May 15
Game 3 Liepājas Lauvas vs. Barons/O!. 93-88 May 17
Game 4 VEF Riga vs. Ventspils 55-93 May 18
Game 5 Ventspils vs. VEF Riga 71-62 May 21
Game 6 VEF Riga vs. Ventspils 72-70 May 24
Game 7 Ventspils vs. VEF Riga 82-87 May 27

Semifinals Playoffs round games
Game 1 Ventspils vs. Barons/O!Karte 78-66 April 26
Game 1 VEF Riga vs. Liepajas Lauvas 71-69 April 26
Game 2 Barons/O!Karte vs. Ventspils 63-72 April 28
Game 2 Liepajas Lauvas vs. VEF Riga 88-81 April 28
Game 3 Ventspils vs. Barons/O!Karte 84-77 April 30
Game 3 VEF Riga vs. Liepajas Lauvas 84-66 May 1
Game 4 Liepajas Lauvas vs. VEF Riga 74-82 May 3

Quarterfinals Playoffs round games
Game 1 Liepajas Lauvas vs. Zemgale 91-52 April 19
Game 1 Valmiera vs. Barons/O!Karte 70-94 April 19
Game 2 Zemgale vs. Liepajas Lauvas 83-90 April 21
Game 2 Barons/O!Karte vs. Valmiera 81-69 April 21

Latvian League, Regular Season, Game 28: April 14-17, 2011
LAST GAME GAME 28
April 14-17, 2011
Day Match Result
Apr. 14 Zemgale vs. Ventspils 66-123
Apr. 15 VEF Riga vs. BA Turiba 108-61
Apr. 17 VEF Riga vs. Valmiera 109-69
Apr. 17 Ventspils vs. Barons/O!Karte 96-75
NEXT GAME
Quarterfinals Playoff
Day Match
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Liepajas L.(3) vs. Zemgale(6)
- Valmiera(4) vs.Barons/O!K(5)
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STANDINGS TG W L P+ P-
1 Ventspils 28 22 6 2419 1922
2 VEF Riga 28 19 9 2349 2036
3 Liepajas Lauvas 28 18 10 2258 2130
4 Valmiera 28 17 11 2102 1986
5 Barons/O!Karte 28 17 11 2267 2094
6 Zemgale 28 9 19 2119 2375
7 BA Turiba 28 6 22 1870 2316
8 LU 28 4 24 1923 2448



Latvian League, Season 2010-11
The giants of Latvian basketball, Barons, VEF Juniors and BK Ventspils, start the season as the prime favorites to claim the Latvian League. Barons edged VEF for the title in a thrilling seven-game affair last season and Ventspils won the year before. Each of the three teams has a chance to battle for glory this season, with the likes of Valmiera, Liepajas Lauvas, Jelgavas Zemgale and Latvijas Universitate hoping to mount an unexpected charge. Barons brings back veteran big man Martins Skirmants and swingman Raimonds Feldmanis and added guard Sandis Buskevics, but the player to keep an eye on may be teenage forward Davis Bertans. With Rimas Kurtinaitis roaming the sidelines, VEF has reloaded with Sandis Valters and Kristaps Janicenoks running the show from the backcourt. Small forward Gatis Jahovics and centers Raitis Grafs and rookie Artsiom Parakhouski could also be big factors for VEF. Ventspils has a number of its best players from last season returning, including Ronalds Zakis, Janis Strelnieks and Arturs Berzins. Saulius Kuzminskas, Chester Mason, Vladimir Stimac and Rashad Anderson help to upgrade the roster. Promising point guard Janis Kaufmanis and center Kaspars Cipruss could hold the keys to Valmiera’s season. Mareks Jurevicus arrives to Liepajas Lauvas to try and lead the team forward. Jelgavas Zemgale and Latvijas Universitate, both with very young rosters, will try to have an impact against the odds.