RIGA (LATVIA)
The VEF is a club born in 1958, the acronym means State Electrotechnical Factory (Latvia then, like Estonia and Lithuania belonged to the USSR). The Latvian championship started last weekend and on the first day, Friday, Riga beat Kalev-Crano 86-84 at home. Starting very strong (43-22 at 18 ‘), the hosts gradually dropped until they were reached at 38’ on 79-79: the free freedoms of the winger Kristers Zoriks were decisive (19 points, 2/3, 2/3, 9/11 on free throws). Also noteworthy are the 15 guards Devondrick Walker (1/3, 4/6), a fearsome three-point shooter.
This is the starting quintet: Zoriks, Curry, Ate, Gulbis, Madsen. Coach Janis Gailitis commented on the match against Nutribullet: “Slow basketball is not for us, we need to play fast”.
After all, the Baltic school teaches this: great individual technique and propensity to counter-attack. And here lies the key: TvB will have to defend as against Reyer by forcing the Latvians to play in the middle of the field, where they are most vulnerable. Riga, however, remains a rather experienced team, accustomed to the excited evenings of the European Cup, where a basketball full of contacts is practiced, usually for the most part tolerated, and in which for the difference in baskets every possession can become important, if not decisive.
Menetti’s boys will therefore have to play the perfect match to win the victory. –