Graphic: Mārtiņš Zaļūksnis
Valmiera Glass/Vidzemes Augstskola returns for the third year in the European North Basketball league.
Valmiera enjoys a historic year as its football team won the first Latvian championship in 2022.
FC Valmiera two days ago posted first ever win in the European competitions, winning UEFA Conference league qualifiers road game against Tre Penne, a five time San Marino champion, 3-0.
Valmiera men`s basketball continues to chase its first win in the ENBL.
Oskars Virsis is the head coach from October 24, 2022.
He faces a tough task as Valmiera has one of the youngest rosters in the league.
American center Tervell Beck signed at Kosovo champion Peja and Valmiera needs to boost its frontcourt to remain competitive.
Re-build is underway as the club recently inked a new deal with Jānis Kaufmanis.
Star point guard is the best scorer in Valmiera`s history.
Kaufmanis helped his native town to win the first Latvian championship in 2016, while playing for Valmiera/Ordo – a team which folded a few years after its big success.
The good news – Valmiera has built one of the best youth systems in Latvia.
Women`s team recently debuted in the Latvian second division.
Valmiera boys took the Latvian U16 crown, while the girls won the U15 championship.
BC Valmiera Glass/VIA is a student club of Vidzeme University, founded in 2009.
Valmiera Glass/VIA battled the rivals from Jelgava and Gulbene until 2018, when it was promoted to the newly founded Estonia and Latvia league.
Pafbet Estonia and Latvia league will feature 16 teams in 2023-2024, including eight squads from Estonia, seven from Latvia and a current champion Prometey from Ukraine.
There were only six Latvian teams in previous seasons – Valmiera Glass ViA, Liepāja, University of Latvia, VEF Rīga, Ventspils and Ogre.
Rīgas Zeļļi – the Craft Boys of Rīga – recently joined the league.
The biggest stars of Valmiera basketball – Dāvis Bertāns from Oklahoma City Thunder and Dairis Bertāns from VEF Rīga – have begun preparation for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Valmiera basketball school carries Bertāns family name.
Dainis Bertāns – a father of Dāvis and Dairis – is the third best scorer in Valmiera history after Jānis Kaufmanis and Sandis Amoliņš.
Dainis jersey #8 has been retired at the Vidzeme Olympic Center.
Brothers Bertāns have opened two outdoor basketball courts in Valmiera and Sigulda – with former dedicated to Kobe and Gigi Bryant.
They host an annual masterclass for the young players and serve as the guiding stars for Valmiera basketball.
Jānis Kaufmanis parents – Alvils and Eva – are youth basketball coaches.
Oskars Virsis assistant is Kaspars Vecvagars – a former teammate of Dāvis Bertāns and a silver medalist at the 2013 European U20 championship.
Vecvagars father, Arnis, has joined Valmiera basketball system too.
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