Latvian basketball team “VEF Riga“currently waiting for legionnaires to join the training process and planning a test game with Kaunas”Žalgiris“, the director of the club told LETA Gatis Jahovičs.
Content will continue after the ad
Advertising
–
On Thursday, the people of Riga found out their potential opponents in the semi-finals of the Latvian Cup – the most real candidates for the meeting with the national champions are the teams of the University of Latvia and Jekabpils. “VEF Rīga” as the only Latvian team in the upcoming season will compete in European club tournaments, so it the cup will start from the penultimate phase.
“Since we are in the semi-finals, we don’t have much to do with us. It would be interesting to play with a second or third division team. We hope that a team will play far from the first or second round. I would be happy to participate in the cup together with all other LBL clubs, but we have a very busy calendar and no vacancies, “commented Jahovich on the results of the lottery.
To date, the team has announced the joining of four legionnaires. Also next season, the team will be played by Finn Alexander Madsen, but the team will be joined by Americans Kail Almen and Michael Kaiser, as well as Puerto Rican Aizeja Pinjeiro.
“The time of self-isolation for American players is coming to an end. They have arrived faster than in previous years, and this gives hope that the results will be better at the beginning of the season. A lot depends on the performance of the legionnaires,” Jahovich explained.
“Som Madsen is known in Latvia – an athletic fourth number with a good throw, who can also play as a center. Pinjeiro can play in positions from second to fourth, an aggressive player. Kaiser is a fast and athletic center player with a good throw. Everyone is prone to attack. and can help with scoring points in the team, “Jahovic said of the legionary trumps.
The team tried to get foreign players to be in Riga at the beginning of the month and before the first official game they will complete a six-week training process.
“A good test tournament was held in Lithuania at the beginning of September, but it was canceled. The calendar for test matches is being developed. If nothing changes, there will be a test game with Kaunas” Žalgiris “team and other Lithuanian units. But we do not plan to go further than the Baltics,” discovered by Jahovich.
By the beginning of the summer, the team had settled with all the players, only there were long negotiations with the Americans to terminate the contracts. Compared to the previous season, no drastic changes in the budget are planned, as well as the requirements of the players have not decreased significantly.
Jahovich admits that the team has not attracted all the players of the national team and the closest candidates he wanted to see in his team.
“The process is similar every year. Basketball players also look at what tournaments they participate in and what role they can play in the team. The role of national team players is great, so some agree to stay instead of driving away,” Jahovich said.
FIBA The championship league season “VEF Rīga” will start on October 13, when the team that will overcome the qualification will face home.
“There have been no club meetings in the FIBA Champions League to talk about rescheduling, canceling or playing the tournament in a different format. In the main tournament, all schedules and dates are set. We are preparing for those dates and we are waiting for announcements,” Jahovičs noted.
FIBA has not yet informed the teams about the rules regarding travel, such as whether the requirement to fly on charter flights will not apply.
“We are not focusing on this, because the situation changes every week. The first away games are at the end of October, and by then the rules will have changed. We do not plan flights yet, but there are no requirements for them. FIBA management monitors the situation in each country and , as the game dates approach, they will come up with guidelines for spectators, travel and other factors, “explained Jahovich.
“VEF Rīga” team in the FIBA Champions League was drawn in subgroup A, where they will have to compete with Lithuanian club Vilnius “Rytas”, first champions of the tournament Tenerife “Iberostar” from Spain, famous Istanbul “Galatasaray” from Turkey, Strasbourg SIG from France, Sassari “Dinamo “from Italy and” Peristeri “from Greece.
The seven teams will be joined by one qualifying team: Tel Aviv’s Hapoel (Israel), Aarhus’ Bakken Bears (Denmark), Belfius Mons-Hainaut or Wloclawek’s Anwil (Poland).
“I am glad that one of the largest Lithuanian clubs will play in Riga again. The draw could have been more successful, but the spectators should be happy, because in Riga you will be able to see” Rytas “,” Galatasaray “, as well as strong Spanish, Italian and Greek teams, .
This summer, “VEF Rīga” has announced agreements with Latvian basketball players Aigars Skele, Artis Atis, Marcis Vitols, Werner Kohs, Emils Krumins, Peteris Salmiņš, Krister Zoriks and Arnolds Helmans, as well as legionnaires Aleksandrs Madsens, Kails Kaimens, Aizas Pinmens, Michael
Last season, the people of Riga were declared the winners of the Latvian championship, but in the FIBA Champions League, “vefiņš” suffered 13 losses after one victory and did not qualify for the elimination tournament.
–
