Second week of the month offers three games on Tuesday, October 8. The 2024 ENBL finalists CSO Voluntari open the second season with a home stand against Dziki Warszawa. Spišski Rytieri will meet two time playoff participants Tartu Ulikool in a home opener. Valmiera Glass ViA are looking to extend their winning streak to 3-0, while hosting Donar Groningen.
CSO Voluntari vs Dziki Warszawa
Series history: CSO Voluntari will face Dziki Warszawa for the first time.
Both teams are innovative in their social media approach – and both are located in the capital cities.
Dziki Warszawa won the home opener against Donar Groningen, 95-79, on September 25.
Key matchup: Lewis Sullivan averages 17.0 points and 5.7 rebounds at the Liga Nationala.
A former University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB 2019) big man scored 21 points against Cluj-Napoca.
Nicholas McGlynn scored nine points and grabbed eight points for Dziki Warszawa in the PLK opener against BM Stal Ostrow.
McGlynn has played for the Drake University.
National championships: sixteen teams play in the Liga Nationala.
CSO Voluntari have a 2-1 record after three rounds of play.
Ainars Bagatskis team opened the new campaign with two wins against Valcea 1924 Ramnicu Valcea, 92-90, and Steaua Bucuresti, 75-68.
Voluntari suffered a 87-102 defeat against EuroCup team Cluj-Napoca on October 4.
Dziki Warszawa are 1-0 at the Orlen PLK.
They defeated the 2023 ENBL Champions BM Stal Ostrow Wielkopolski, 88-63, on October 5.
Dziki went on a 35-11 run in the fourth quarter to extend their lead from 1 to 24 points.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Andras-Mate Stretea (Romania) – referee from 2012, Liga Nationala referee from 2016, FIBA referee from 2023.
Umpire 1: Mateusz Skorek (Poland) – FIBA referee from 2021, PLK referee; has worked at the FIBA European U20 championship in division A; has worked at the inaugural ENBL Final Four in 2022.
Umpire 2: Matei-Stelian Banica (Romania) – Liga Nationala referee from 2020, upcoming FIBA referee, has worked at the Romanian finals for Men and Women.
Observer: Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
Spišski Rytieri vs Tartu Ulikool Maks&Moorits
Series history: Spišski Rytieri will face Tartu Ulikool Maks&Moorits for the first time.
Tartu Ulikool is one of the three teams – along Valmiera Glass ViA and Basket Brno – who play in the ENBL from the Season One.
Key matchup: Dibaji Walker averages 19.3 points and 6.0 rebounds for Spišski Rytieri.
Appalachian State University star dropped 30 points in a win over Nitra on 10/14 shooting from the field and 10/11 from the charity stripe.
Omar el-Sheikh is a rising basketball star from Egypt.
Big man graduated Arkansas State University in 2023 and has played for the Pharaohs in international competitions.
Now he wears Tartu colors.
National championships: Spišski Rytieri are 3-1 in the Slovakia championship.
Teo Hojc and his men defeated Komarno, 100-87, and Blue Wings, 90-84, before suffering a 80-82 defeat at Inter Bratislava on October 2.
The Knights recovered with a 122-101 home win against Nitra on October 5.
Tartu Ulikool Maks&Moorits have a tough schedule – six of the first eight games are on the road against quality opponents like VEF Rīga (October 12), Valmiera Glass ViA (October 15) and Kalev/Cramo (October 27).
First game may set the tone for Aivar Kuusmaa and his men.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Zdenko Zubak (Slovakia) – FIBA referee from 2010, has worked at the EuroBasket Women 2013 in France and at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship for Women in Czechia.
Umpire 1: Ranno Konks (Estonia) – referee from 2009, has worked at the Estonia-Latvia league from 2018, has worked at the Estonian playoffs.
Umpire 2: Eduard Uhrin (Slovakia) – FIBA referee from 2021, Slovakia top division referee from 2018.
Observer: Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
Valmiera Glass ViA vs Donar Groningen
Series history: Valmiera Glass ViA will face Donar Groningen for the first time.
Both teams have loyal and numerous fanbases.
Valmiera Glass ViA average around 1000 spectators in a town with 23 000 people.
Donar Groningen averaged 2900 fans at the Martini Plaza in 2023-2024 season.
Key matchup: Kahliel Spear averages 14.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in the Latvia and Estonia league.
A former power forward at Bucknell and Robert Morris has left a solid impression in his first five games with Valmiera.
James Karnik averages 11.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks for Donar – in two games.
Canadian with a Czech passport graduated Boston College in 2022 and has ACC league experience under his belt.
National championships: Valmiera Glass ViA won the first four games of the 2025 season, including two wins at the Optibet Latvia and Estonia league.
Nikolajs Mazurs and his men are 2-1 in the Latvia and Estonia league after a 61-68 home defeat against VEF Rīga on October 4.
Valmiera defeated Liepāja, 80-63, on September 20, and the University of Latvia, 92-72, on September 28.
They are 2-0 in the ENBL and are eyeing third consecutive win.
Donar Groningen are 1-3 in the BNXT league as four teams from Belgium occupy the first four positions in the standings.
Andrej Štimac and his men have suffered four consecutive defeats – at home against Union Mons and Kortrijk (Courtrai), on the road at Dziki Warszawa, 79-95, and at Aalst, 91-93, on October 5.
Aalst shot 58% from the three point line (11/19) and 84.6% from the free throw line.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Anna Belousova (Latvia) – FIBA referee from 2019, first female referee from Latvia at the European Women`s Basketball league (EWBL) Final Four; first female referee from Latvia at the LBL; has worked at multiple European youth championships in summer of 2024.
Umpire 1: Bert Van Slooten (Netherlands) – national referee from 2001, FIBA referee from 2005.
Umpire 2: Dāvis Graudiņš (Latvia) – Latvian Cup referee from 2020; has worked at the Latvian Women`s basketball league playoffs; has attended the FIBA Baltic Sea Cup clinic in 2022.
Observer: Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
STANDINGS, as of October 7, 2024
Group A
Valmiera Glass ViA 2-0, +39
Dziki Warszawa 1-0, +16
BK Opava 1-0, +15
Spartak Pleven 0-2, -30
Donar Groningen 0-1, -16
Spišski Rytieri 0-1, -24
CSO Voluntari
Newcastle Eagles
Tartu Ulikool
Group B
Legia Warszawa 1-0, +30
Bamberg Baskets 1-0, +15
Bakken Bears 1-0, +11
Bristol Flyers 0-1, -11
Dinamo Bucharest 0-1, -15
Fyllingen Lions 0-1, -30
Basket Brno
Inter Bratislava
Keila Coolbet
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