There are three games scheduled on Tuesday, January 28. Spartak Pleven are hosting northern rivals CSO Voluntari. Keila Coolbet will face Bristol Flyers, while Basket Brno must beat Legia Warszawa to stay alive.
Playoff implications: Bakken Bears will qualify if Basket Brno lose against Legia Warszawa.
Spartak Pleven vs CSO Voluntari
Series history: Spartak Pleven (0-6) will face CSO Voluntari (5-2) for the first time.
Spartak Pleven are 0-3 on the home floor after losses against Valmiera, Tartu and Dziki Warszawa.
CSO Voluntari are 2-1 on the road thanks to the wins at Donar Groningen and BK Opava.
Bulgaria and Romania are full Schengen members from January 1, 2025.
Key matchup: Christian Keeling averages 12.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists for Spartak Pleven.
University of North Carolina guard shoots 52.1 percent from the two point line and 42.9 percent from the three point line.
Mike Caffey averages 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists for CSO Voluntari.
Long Beach State University point guard shoots 65.5 percent from the two point line and 38.5 percent from the three point line.
National championships: Spartak Pleven share fourth place at the Sesame NBL with Akademik Plovdiv.
Both teams have a 8-6 record.
Spartak Pleven are on a two game winning streak after defeating Cherno More, 91-70, on January 19, and winning at Balkan, 86-72, on January 25.
CSO Voluntari are 14-4 at the Liga Nationala.
Ainars Bagatskis and his men lost against Valmiera, 83-84, on January 21, and were defeated at Cluj Napoca, 84-104, on January 25.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Vladimir Zanev (Bulgaria) – FIBA referee from 2017; was officiating in Greece and Cyprus before moving to Bulgaria in 2022.
Umpire 1: Vlad-Theodor Cotrobas (Romania) – Liga Nationala referee from 2021, FIBA referee from 2023; has worked at the Romanian finals for men and women.
Umpire 2: Stefan Stefanov (Bulgaria) – referee from 2011, FIBA referee from 2019, Sesame NBL referee from 2018.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on Youtube stream
Keila Coolbet vs Bristol Flyers
Series history: Keila Coolbet (1-5) will face Bristol Flyers (3-4) for the first time.
Keila Coolbet are 0-3 on the home floor after losses against Bamberg, Brno and Dinamo Bucharest.
Bristol Flyers are 2-1 on the road after back-to-back wins at Basket Brno and Fyllingen Lions.
Andreas Kapoulas and his men are on a three game winning streak in the ENBL.
Key matchup: Tautvydas Kupštas averages 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists for Keila Coolbet.
Lithuanian guard shoots 45.5 percent from the two point line and 37.8 percent from the three point line.
Kedrian Johnson averages 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists for Bristol Flyers.
West Virginia University guard shoots 48.1 percent from the two point line and 36.0 percent from the three point line.
National championships: Keila Coolbet are 7-12 at the Optibet Estonia and Latvia league, three wins behind the playoff zone with nine games left in the regular season.
The Estonians are on a eight game losing streak after a 85-90 home loss against Valmiera Glass ViA.
Bristol Flyers are 3-5 at the Super League Basketball regular season.
Andreas Kapoulas and his men advanced to the SLB Cup semi-finals after a 71-58 home win against Caledonia Gladiators on January 19.
The Flyers will face the Sheffield Sharks in the home and away series on February 7 and 9.
Bristol Flyers suffered a 78-97 loss against Newcastle Eagles at the SLB Trophy final on January 26.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Hendrik Laas (Estonia) – Estonian KML and Optibet Estonia and Latvia league referee from 2016; has worked at the Pafbet league Final Four and Estonian finals.
Umpire 1: Josh Bowe (United Kingdom) – FIBA referee from 2019, British Basketball league referee from 2013; has officiated British finals from 2017.
Umpire 2: Rainis Vārv (Estonia) – Estonian KML and Optibet Estonia and Latvia league referee from 2017, FIBA referee from September 2023; has worked at the Pafbet league Final Four and Estonian finals.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on Facebook Live
Basket Brno vs Legia Warszawa
Series history: Basket Brno (2-4) will face Legia Warszawa (4-2) for the first time.
Basket Brno are 0-3 on the home floor after losses against Inter Bratislava, Bristol Flyers and Fyllingen Lions.
Legia Warszawa are 2-1 on the road thanks to wins at Dinamo Bucharest and Bristol Flyers.
Warsaw team parted ways with Jawun Evans and Shawn Jones.
Key matchup: Ethan Chargois averages 18.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists for Basket Brno.
The University of Oklahoma forward shoots 60.5 percent from the two point line and 35.0 percent from the three point line.
Kameron McGusty averages 15.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists for Legia Warszawa.
The University of Miami shooting guard shoots 56.0 percent from the two point line and 72.7 percent from the three point line.
National championships: Basket Brno are 16-7 at the Kooperativa NBL and share the third place with Usti nad Labem.
Basket Brno are on a two game losing streak after losses at Bamberg, 70-90, on January 21, and against BK Opava, 72-75, on January 25.
Legia Warszawa are 9-7 at the Orlen PLK and share the sixth place with King Szczecin.
The Legionnaires are on a two game winning streak after successes against King Szczecin, 85-71, on January 19, and at Dabrowa Gornicza, 97-79, on January 23.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Petr Hruša (Czechia) – FIBA referee from 2010; has worked at the 2013 EuroLeague Women Final Eight in Jekaterinburg; Basketball Champions league referee 2016-2021.
Umpire 1: Bogna Podkowinska (Poland) – Basket Liga Kobiet referee from 2018, Orlen PLK referee from 2022, FIBA referee from 2023; has worked at the Alpe Adria Cup from 2018.
Umpire 2: Jaroslav Pazourek (Czechia) – Kooperativa NBL referee from 2023, including one playoff game; has worked at the Scania Cup final in 2023 and 2024.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube stream
STANDINGS, as of January 27, 2025
Group A
Dziki Warszawa 6-2, +81 Qualified
Valmiera Glass ViA 6-2, +51 Qualified
Newcastle Eagles 6-1, +50 Qualified
CSO Voluntari 5-2, +115 Qualified
BK Opava 4-3, -26
Tartu Ulikool 2-5, -62
Donar Groningen 2-5, -25
Spišski Rytieri 1-6, -106
Spartak Pleven 0-6, -78
Group B
Inter Bratislava 7-0, +40 Qualified
Bamberg Baskets 6-1, +86 Qualified
Bakken Bears 4-3, +59
Legia Warszawa 4-2, +29 Qualified
Bristol Flyers 3-4, +0
Basket Brno 2-4, -17
Dinamo Bucharest 2-5, -43
Keila Coolbet 1-5, -65
Fyllingen Lions 1-6, -89
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