Two games upcoming on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Newcastle Eagles will secure a playoff berth, if they defeat BK Opava at the Vertu Motors arena. CSO Voluntari are eying their fifth win in a home clash against Tartu Ulikool.
Playoff implications: Newcastle Eagles will qualify for the playoffs if they beat BK Opava.
CSO Voluntari cannot qualify mathematically on Tuesday – a three way tie with BK Opava and Valmiera Glass ViA is still possible. Current situation: Voluntari 1-0, +21; Opava 1-1, -20; Valmiera 0-1, -1.
CSO Voluntari vs Tartu Ulikool
Series history: CSO Voluntari (4-1) will face Tartu Ulikool (1-4) for the third time.
CSO Voluntari won the playoff series against Tartu, 168-152, last March.
The Romanians lost at Estonia, 83-76, and then prevailed on the home floor, 92-69.
CSO Voluntari are 2-0 on the home floor.
Tartu Ulikool are 1-1 on the road, thanks to a 85-75 win at Spartak Pleven.
Ainars Bagatskis was recently appointed as a head coach of Ukraine national team for the second time.
Key matchup: Mike Caffey averages 9.4 points, 6.8 assists and 2.4 steals for CSO Voluntari.
A former Long Beach State University point guard shoots 62.5 percent from the two point line and 38.9 percent from the three point line.
Martin Paasoja averages 10.8 points, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals for Tartu Ulikool.
Guard shoots 55.6 percent from the two point line and 43.8 percent from the three point line.
National championships: CSO Voluntari are 13-2 at the Liga Nationala.
Ainars Bagatskis and his men are on a six game winning streak.
CSO Voluntari won at Timisoara, 92-81, on January 4.
Tartu Ulikool are 11-5 at the Optibet Estonia and Latvia league.
The Estonians ended Liepāja`s winning streak, 81-80, on January 3.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Marius Ciulin (Romania) – FIBA referee from 2003, one of the top FIBA referees; has worked at multiple EuroBaskets and EuroBasket Women; has worked twice at the EuroLeague Women Final Four; has worked at the Basketball Champions league Final Four.
Umpire 1: Mart Uuehendrik (Estonia) – Korvpalliliiga referee from 2002, FIBA referee from 2006; has worked at the 2018 EuroCup Women finals in Turkey.
Umpire 2: Vlad-Theodor Cotrobas (Romania) – Liga Nationala referee from 2021, FIBA referee from 2023; has worked at the Romanin finals for men and women.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
Newcastle Eagles vs BK Opava
Series history: Newcastle Eagles (5-1) will face BK Opava (3-2) for the first time.
The Eagles are 3-0 on the home floor.
BK Opava are 2-0 on the road.
Key matchup: Mike Okauru averages 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists for Newcastle.
University of North Carolina at Wilmington shooting guard shoots 50.0 percent from the two point line and 45.5 percent from the three point line.
Jakub Slavik averages 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists for BK Opava.
Small forward shoots 61.9 percent from the two point line and 33.3 percent from the three point line.
National championships: Newcastle Eagles are 5-4 at the SuperLeague regular season.
Tyneside boys defeated Leicester Riders, 93-90, on January 3, and suffered a 70-96 defeat at Surrey on January 5.
Marc Steutel and his men advanced to the SLB Trophy final.
The SLB Trophy final against Bristol Flyers will be played on January 26, 2025, at the Utilita arena Birmingham.
BK Opava are 12-8 at the NBL Kooperativa.
Yellow Devils won at Slavia Praha, 76-72, on January 4.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Kate Unsworth (United Kingdom) – British Basketball league referee from 2007, FIBA referee from 2012; has worked at the BBL playoffs and finals; has worked at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Cup semifinal.
Umpire 1: Martin Kucirek (Czechia) – referee from 2004, NBL Kooperativa referee from 2015, FIBA referee from 2019.
Umpire 2: Stephen Ferriss (United Kingdom) – British Basketball league referee from 2004, FIBA referee from 2019; has worked at the BBL finals in 2022 and 2023.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
STANDINGS, as of January 6, 2025
Group A
Valmiera Glass ViA 5-1, +62
Newcastle Eagles 5-1, +35
CSO Voluntari 4-1, +67
Dziki Warszawa 4-2, +48
BK Opava 3-2, -14
Donar Groningen 2-4, -6
Tartu Ulikool 1-4, -32
Spišski Rytieri 1-5, -103
Spartak Pleven 0-5, -57
Group B
Inter Bratislava 6-0, +25 Qualified
Bamberg Baskets 5-1, +66
Legia Warszawa 4-2, +29
Bakken Bears 3-3, +42
Basket Brno 2-2, +7
Bristol Flyers 2-4, -18
Dinamo Bucharest 1-4, -31
Keila Coolbet 1-3, -44
Fyllingen Lions 0-5, -76
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