after the World Cup the Latvians also show off in the strongest championships / Article

The best success in the top Italian championship goes to Bologna’s “Virtus” coached by Banki, who awaits the year in 3rd place in the 16-team competition. In the last 14 games there have been 10 victories and four defeats. Banki’s team has left a bright mark in the statistics columns of the championship, being leaders in the average of points scored, balls won, assists and interceptions. “Virtus” has also been able to show excellent performances in the Euroleague, where it occupies the high 2nd place overall with 12 victories in 17 games.

“Virtus” announced on December 29 that he had joined the club Rihards Lomaz. His debut for the new club could take place on January 3 in the Euroleague match against Bayern Munich. Previously, Lomaz played for the Turkish Denizli team “Yukatel Merkezefendi”, where he averaged 14.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 34.7 minutes played in 12 games.

He spent his second season in the Trentino team of L’Aquila. Andrejs Gražulis. His team is next to the Banki club in the overall standings, taking 4th place. Trento has won nine and lost five in 14 games. Gražulis was able to show a versatile performance and was also recognized as the most valuable player of the sixth round of the Italian Serie A. Gražulis averages 14.2 points per game, ranking 15th on the list of top scorers in the league. He also averages 4.5 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game, which is seventh in the league.

Andrejs Gražulis (center) in the Italian Serie A match

Photo: SCANPIX/IPA/SIPA

The Trentino team also participates in the Eurocup of the Union of European Basketball Leagues (ULEB), where they managed to win six and lose seven. This currently allows us to take sixth place in group B of the 10-team tournament. Gražulis averaged 14.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in this tournament.

Jānis Strělnieks in the Italian Serie A match

Photo: SCANPIX/IPA/SIPA

Expert Jānis Strēlnieks represents the “Scafati” team, which at the end of December ranked 9th in the Italian Serie A tournament. The Latvian national team players’ club achieved seven victories in 14 matches. The archer participated in six games, in which he posted decent statistics, averaging 11.3 points and 3.2 assists per game, as well as excelling with a 56% accuracy on three-point shots. During the season there were rumors that the point guard could land at the “Derthona Basket” of Tortona, represented by Artūrs Strautiņšbut they have not yet been approved.

Strautiņš and his “Derthona Basket” from Tortona are experiencing a not particularly brilliant season in the Italian championship. The Strautinas team won five matches in the local championship, but suffered defeats in nine matches, which allows it to occupy 11th place in the general classification.

Artūrs Strautiņš in the Italian Serie A match

Photo: SCANPIX/zumapress.com

Strautiņš averaged 4.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in games played. It must be said that he played on average only 11.7 minutes per game. On December 24, the unit announced the termination of the contract with coach Marco Ramondino, and such a turn of events could go in favor of Strautiņš, who will have the opportunity to prove himself under the guidance of new coach Walter de Rafaele.

In the Champions League tournament of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Thornton club performed much better than in the national championship. The club achieved five victories and one defeat, ensuring participation in the “play-in” round, where there is a possibility of qualifying for the TOP 16 phase of the tournament. Strautiņš averaged 4.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists in the Champions League tournament.

The brothers joined forces at Spanish Premier League (ACB) team Murcia. Rodion and Artūrs Kuruci. Rodion averaged 6.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 16 ACB championship games. In the FIBA ​​Champions League tournament, Rodion has very similar statistics: an average of 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. The club, evaluating Rodion’s performance, extended the contract with him until 2026 in mid-December.

Kaunas “Žalgiris” represents the flagship of Lithuanian basketball Roland Schmidt. In the Lithuanian league, Šmits averaged 8.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. In the ULEB Euroleague, Šmits was one of the most productive players on the team, averaging 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

In the LKL championship “Žalgiris” occupies second place in the 12-team competition, just behind their fiercest rivals “Rytas”. Schmidt’s team achieved 12 victories and two defeats. In the ULEB Euroleague, “Žalgiris” won five matches and lost 12 in 17 matches, ranking 16th in the 18-team competition. On 30 December, the club announced that it would fire manager Kazi Maksvitti and Andrea Trinchieri would replace him.

Rolands Schmidt “Zalgiris” plays in the Euroleague against “Real Madrid”

Photo: SCANPIX/zumapress.com

The season began successfully as part of the Vilnius “Wolves”. Arthur Zagar, but in October the player suffered a lateral knee ligament injury. Club president Rimants Kaukēns told the media that it is possible for Žagar to return to action as early as this season, but did not rule out that recovery could take up to 10 months. In the Lithuanian championship Žagar averaged 12 points, won 3 balls and gave 5 assists. In the ULEB Eurocup, the Latvian national team point guard stood out with an average of 10 points and 4 assists.

In the Lithuanian championship, “wolves” occupy the third position, as in 15 matches 11 victories were achieved. In the ULEB Eurocup the “Wolves” managed to win four victories and suffer eight defeats: this currently places the team in 7th place in Group A in the 10-team competition.

The long-time captain of “VEF Riga”. Artis Ate “Pieno Žvaigždes” arrived before the season. Ate averaged 6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists. The Ates club has achieved five wins and nine losses in the LKL, which places the team in 8th place in the overall standings.

“Gottingen” is having a brilliant season Kārlis Šiliņš. In the Bundesliga, Šiliņš averaged 14.5 points, won 6.0 balls and gave 1.7 assists, while in the FIBA ​​Champions Cup tournament he averaged 15.8 points, 5, 4 balls won, 2.3 assists in the eight games played.

Head coach of the Latvian national team Krister Zorik “Petkimspor” from Izmir spends the season. In Super League, Zorik averaged 13.1 points, won 1.9 balls and dished out 3.9 assists. His team achieved seven victories and seven defeats, occupying 5th place in the general classification.

The “Darussafaka” team is represented. Janis Timma. At the end of October, the team announced that the cooperation with the Latvian basketball player had ended, but in mid-December it was renewed again. “Darussafaka” coach Jakups Sekizkek told the media that Timm was offered to play in the team until the basketball player finds the most suitable option to continue his career. In the Super League tournament, Timma averaged 12.2 points, won 4.7 balls and dished out 1.3 assists. In the FIBA ​​Champions League tournament, Timma averaged 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds.

“Darussafaka” won six and suffered eight defeats in the Super League, ranking 13th in the 16-team competition. In the Champions League, the Timmas club, playing in the same group with “VEF Rīga”, achieved three victories and three defeats, ensuring participation in the “play-in” round.

Ostrava “Stal” represents the colors of Greater Poland Aigars Skele AND Ojars Silins. “Stal” achieved nine victories in 15 matches, which allows them to occupy second place in the 16-team competition of the championship. Both Latvian players made significant contributions to the team’s success. Šēle averaged 16.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists, being second in the league. Meanwhile, Siliņš averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

He plays in the Greek league Robert Bloomberg, representing the “Aris” team from Thessaloniki. In the local league, the 25-year-old Latvian scored 9.8 points and grabbed 1.6 rebounds. Blumbergs averaged 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in the ULEB Eurocup.

In the general ranking of the National League, Blumberg’s club is in 5th place with six wins and five defeats. In the ULEB Eurocup, “Aris” managed to achieve six victories and suffered seven defeats. This balance allows us to be in 5th place in group B of the ten-team competition.

He also participates in the Greek championship Ilya Gromov, who plays in the “Lavrio” team. In the local league, Gromov played nine games, where he averaged 4.4 points and won 4.7 balls. “Lavrio” won four matches, but lost eight matches, which gives them eighth place overall in the twelve-team competition.

Instead, he represents Cluj-Napoca, Romanian champions for the last three seasons Marek Meyers. In the local league, Mejeris averaged 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. In the ULEB Eurocup, Mejeris averaged 5.1 points, won 3.8 balls and dished out 1.7 assists.