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Plan B developed by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) envisages the start of the Women’s Euroleague in January 2021 and an abbreviated main tournament, informs the Latvian club “TTT Rīga”.
It has already been reported that “TTT Rīga” has been drawn in the BBA group of the FIBA Euroleague main tournament, where, as in the previous season, the starry Ekaterinburg UGMK and Anete Šteinberga, who represent Istanbul’s “Galatasaray” this season, will be among the opponents.
Group B, together with TTT Rīga, UGMK and Galatasaray, also included Sopron Uniqa (Hungary), Bourgas Tango, Basket Landes (both France), Skio Famila (Italy), as well as Spanish team Girona “Spar Citylift” and Sfintu Georges “ACS Sepsi SIC” from the winner of the Romanian pair.
In group A, together with Elina Babkin, Nadezhda (Russia) from Orenburg and Gdynia Arka (Poland), coached by Gundar Storm, will also play Dinamo from Kursk (Russia), Fenerbahce from Istanbul (Turkey), Perfumerias Avenida from Salamanca (Spain) ), The Prague ZVVZ USK (Czech Republic), the Lyon ASVEL and the Hungarian teams Miskolc DVTK and Izmit Belediyespor from the Turkish duel winner.
ArtTTs Štālbergs, General Manager of TTT Rīga, admits that the club is drawn in a group that does not lack loud names and historically successful teams.
“A calendar has been created with the start of the regular season on October 14, however, there is a high probability that FIBA will use Plan B. It envisages that the games will start only in January 2021 and the regular season will be played in an abbreviated format. FIBA has not provided an answer as to what this format might look like – specific decisions are expected after the board meeting scheduled for September 1, ”“ TTT Rīga ”quotes Stalbergs.
Stalbergs reveals that the representatives of the clubs emphasized at the meeting that the beginning of the regular season in October would be a big plus from the budget point of view – the teams are staffed with several legionnaires, but in local championships there are limits for foreign players.
“Much will be determined by the travel restrictions between countries and the requirements for quarantine on September 1. FIBA is working with national federations to develop a concrete action plan, ”says Stalbergs.
He very much hopes that he will soon be able to see the best European women’s basketball in Riga, but concrete decisions have yet to be seen.
Currently, the staff of TTT Rīga, the coaching corps and the staff are continuing. We will announce the news in the coming days, but at the beginning of September we will start training and preparing for the 2020/2021 season, ”reveals Štālbergs.
FIBA Euroleague 16 clubs, divided into A and B groups, will play a two-round tournament (14 games) from October 14, 2020 to February 25, 2021. The top four teams in each group will qualify for the playoffs. The quarterfinals in the series with up to two victories will take place on March 10, 17 and, if necessary, March 24. The “Four Finals” will take place on April 16-18. Main tournament and quarterfinals on Wednesdays.
The fifth and sixth best teams in each group will be eligible to continue the season in the European Cup by participating in the quarter-finals. The quarterfinals will take place on March 11 and 18, the winners will be determined in the sum of two games. The semi-finals are scheduled for March 25 and April 1, the final – on April 7 and 14.
Last season, “TTT Rīga” took the last place among eight teams in the subgroup of the Euroleague main tournament and did not qualify for the elimination tournament. The Rigans later triumphed in the Baltic Basketball League and after the main tournament of the Latvian Women’s Basketball League was stopped, they were confirmed as the winners of the national championship.
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