Wednesday, November 27, arrives with three games on the menu. Valmiera Glass ViA will try to extend their winning streak to 5-0, while hosting BK Opava. Spartak Pleven and Tartu Ulikool are determined to get their first win. The same is true for Donar Groningen as they face Spišski Rytieri.
Valmiera Glass ViA vs BK Opava
Series history: Valmiera Glass ViA (4-0) will face BK Opava (2-2) for the first time.
Valmiera Glass ViA are 2-0 on the home floor after wins over Spišski Rytieri, 93-69, and Donar Groningen, 81-78.
Valmiera recently signed American center Justin Wilson.
BK Opava are 1-0 on the road, thanks to a 86-80 win at Tartu Ulikool.
Key matchup: Kahliel Spear averages 16.8 points and 13.8 rebounds for Valmiera.
Robert Morris University power forward has a very high efficiency rating 28.3.
Šimon Puršl averages 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in 21.8 minutes.
Opava big man shoots 59.3% from the two point mark, 40.0% from the three point line and amazing 91.7% from the free throw line.
National championships: Valmiera Glass ViA are 8-4 at the Optibet Latvia and Estonia league.
Team had two losses before the national team break against Ogre, 88-92, and at Rīgas Zeļļi, 61-72.
Artis Ate and assistant coach Kaspars Vecvagars joined Latvian National team, while Rostyslav Novitskyi represented Ukraine.
BK Opava are 7-4 at the Kooperativa NBL.
Perennial favorite Nymburk is first with a 11-1 record, followed by Sršni Pisek, Usti nad Labem and Dečin.
BK Opava defeated Pardubice before the national team break, 77-76.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Andris Aunkrogers (Latvia) – FIBA referee from 2005; has worked at many major events, including the 2019 FIBA World Cup and the 2023 FIBA World Cup, as well as EuroBasket 2022; Elite/Basketball Champions league referee from 2016.
Umpire 1: Lukaš Hartig (Czechia) – NBL Kooperativa referee from 2020.
Umpire 2: Dāvis Graudiņš (Latvia) – has attended FIBA Baltic Sea Cup clinic in 2022, a Latvian Cup referee from 2020 and has worked at the Latvian Women`s basketball league`s playoffs.
Observer (on the spot): Mareks Voļskis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
Spartak Pleven vs Tartu Ulikool
Series history: Spartak Pleven (0-3) will face Tartu Ulikool (0-3) for the second time.
Tartu won the first encounter on the home floor, 83-71, on November 7, 2023.
Spartak Pleven are 0-1 on the home floor after a 89-104 loss against Valmiera Glass ViA.
Tartu Ulikool are 0-1 on the road after a 87-91 loss at Spišski Rytieri.
Key matchup: Derek Culver averages 14.3 points and 9.0 rebounds for Spartak Pleven.
West Virginia center shoots 50.0% from the field and 84.6% from the charity stripe.
Omar El-Sheikh averages 11.0 points and 6.0 rebounds for Tartu.
A former Arkansas State center shoots 60.0% from the field and 60.0% from the free throw line.
National championships: Spartak Pleven are 3-3 at the Sesame NBL, tied in the fifth place with Akademik Plovdiv.
Spartak suffered a 89-96 home loss against Balkan on November 17.
Tartu Ulikool are 6-3 at the Optibet Estonia and Latvia league.
Aivar Kuusmaa and his men are on a three game winning streak after a 84-67 success at TalTech and two home wins against Rapla, 90-84, and University of Latvia, 88-74.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Ventsislav Velikov (Bulgaria) – FIBA referee from 2012, Basketball Champions league referee from 2015.
Umpire 1: Ivo Kitsing (Estonia) – have been officiating from 2007; first Baltic Basketball league game on November 14, 2014; first Korvpalli Meistriliiga final on May 24, 2018; FIBA referee from 2023.
Umpire 2: Dimitar Georgiev (Bulgaria) – Sesame NBL referee from 2017, FIBA referee from 2023.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
Donar Groningen vs Spišski Rytieri
Series history: Donar Groningen (0-4) will face Spišski Rytieri (1-4) for the first time.
Donar Groningen are 0-1 on the home floor after a 83-89 loss against CSO Voluntari.
Spišski Rytieri are 0-3 on the road after losses at Valmiera, Dziki Warszawa and CSO Voluntari.
Key matchup: James Karnik averages 18.8 points and 14.3 rebounds for Donar Groningen.
Czech-Canadian big man 51.7% from the two point mark and 66.7% from the three point line.
Iļja Gromovs averages 8.8 points and 6.6 rebounds for Spišski Rytieri.
Latvian center shoots 50.0% from the field.
National championships: Donar Groningen are 3-6 at the BNXT league.
Donar defeated QSTA United, 76-72, on November 13, and lost at Charleroi, 68-80, on November 17.
Spišski Rytieri are 7-3 at the Slovak Extraliga.
The Knights defeated Prievidza, 92-84, on November 16.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Stan Kestein (Netherlands) – BNXT league referee from 2018, has worked at multiple Dutch Supercup, Dutch Cup and Dutch championship finals, BNXT league final; has worked in the EWBL 2018-2020 seasons, as well as the 2023-2024 ENBL season.
Umpire 1: Zdenko Zubak (Slovakia) – FIBA referee from 2010, has worked at the EuroBasket Women 2013 in France and the 2014 FIBA U17 Women`s World Cup in Czechia.
Umpire 2: Mohamed Shouman (Netherlands) – Dutch first division referee from 2013, BNXT league referee from 2021.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
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