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**rusher** · 09-29-2007, 11:10 AM

At the start of the season probably mediocre Lithuanian clubs will be superior to other clubs from Latvia or Estonia because their championship has already started but big clubs could struggle like last year when at the start of the season Zalgiris won Kalev in close game and ASK menaged to beat Lietuvos Rytas at home. Zalgiris doesn't look convincing at the moment because it's still the start of the season. Their first game is against Barons, club which also is still searching for it's game after buying 7 new players this year so i don't think they could pull up a surprise already in Arena Riga on 3rd October. Valmiera will most probably be crushed by LR and I think of them (and Neptunas who play terrible in LKL) as the 9th and 10th team of the Elite League.

As for Challenge Cup, I think of Alytus, Suduva, Bumerangs and one or both Estonian clubs as outsiders. Nevezis will probably win it, though two young and fresh teams VEF Riga and Aisciai Atletas could for the 1st place and LBL 4th place winners Liepajas "Lauvas" has strenghten it's roster too.

**Joško Poljak Fan** · 09-29-2007, 12:15 PM

I see there are 4LIT and 4LAT teams in 1st bbl right now, how do these get determined? is it the best from BBL chalenge cup getting into BBL elite, or is the number of teams per country determined in some other way? (as far as I remember Lithuania had more clubs than Latvia some time ago)
We've got huge issues about that in adriatic league, that's why I am asking

**LuDux** · 09-29-2007, 12:43 PM

Originally posted by Matiz

I see there are 4LIT and 4LAT teams in 1st bbl right now, how do these get determined? is it the best from BBL chalenge cup getting into BBL elite, or is the number of teams per country determined in some other way? (as far as I remember Lithuania had more clubs than Latvia some time ago)
We've got huge issues about that in adriatic league, that's why I am asking

http://www.bbl.net/index.php/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj1zdGFuZGluZ3Mudmlldw==

**rusher** · 09-29-2007, 02:01 PM

Originally posted by Matiz

I see there are 4LIT and 4LAT teams in 1st bbl right now, how do these get determined? is it the best from BBL chalenge cup getting into BBL elite, or is the number of teams per country determined in some other way? (as far as I remember Lithuania had more clubs than Latvia some time ago)
We've got huge issues about that in adriatic league, that's why I am asking

It's simply based on what results achieved clubs last year in BBL. LR and Zalgiris were nr.1 and nr.2, Ventspils 3rd, Sauliai 4th, then ASK and Kalev who lost the semi-finals for competing in final 4, then the rest higher placed teams were Barons, Valmiera, Rock and then there was one wild card, in my opinion, they gave it to Neptunas because 3rd Estonian team would be too weak for Elite League and in Latvia we had our own issues when Lauvas won Valmiera for the 4th place in championship and they wanted the place in BBL Elite but league accepted Valmiera because at the moment they had fulfilled necessary requirements and Lauvas couldn't because they had less money and too old and small arena. But this year they are building new arena and they have better sponsors too.

All in all, at the start of the BBL Latvian and Estonian clubs were at the bottom and if it would be the first year now, we would all (except Ventspils) play in Challenge Cup. Fortunately our society, fans (sponsors) couldn't stand losses to Lithuanians so domestic basketball started to improve, not only buying more foreigners but also our domestic league was reformed and club's owners were forced to have more youngsters of 19-23 years who still haven't really found their game to participate so they don't leave basketball and go work somewhere. This year our U-18 won bronze in EC, most of the team was from ASK, Barons and Ventspils farm clubs so Baltic League really improved our basketball and i hope if our teams will continue to grow that someday this league could be useful not only for Siauliai and lower Lithuanian teams but also for Zalgiris and LR too. Last year Rytas lost to Latvian clubs twice and this year I hope Zalgiris too will lose at least one away game let's say against ASK cause it's the leader now in Latvian basketball

**Endym** · 09-29-2007, 02:38 PM

BC Kalev:

PG Parmer, Sokk
SG Kriisa, Arbet
SF Pelkic,
PF Kangur, Keerles, Toome
C Reed, Viiask

Tartu Rock:

PG Tsintsadze, Leppik
SG Kullamäe, Doronin, Aab
SF Tein, Paade, E.Dorbek
PF Sestokas, Talts
C Cusworth, Allingu

Kalev is still searching PF/C after Vuksanovic injury who probably will not play with them. But they still have solid squad, i belive Arbet will be also used as SF.

I like Rock more. They have good american center Cusworth (213cm, played summer league with Warriors team), good players for every position. And they have very good coach (Kerde).

**rusher** · 09-29-2007, 04:24 PM

Originally posted by Endym

BC Kalev:

PG Parmer, Sokk
SG Kriisa, Arbet
SF Pelkic,
PF Kangur, Keerles, Toome
C Reed, Viiask

Tartu Rock:

PG Tsintsadze, Leppik
SG Kullamäe, Doronin, Aab
SF Tein, Paade, E.Dorbek
PF Sestokas, Talts
C Cusworth, Allingu

Kalev is still searching PF/C after Vuksanovic injury who probably will not play with them. But they still have solid squad, i belive Arbet will be also used as SF.

I like Rock more. They have good american center Cusworth (213cm, played summer league with Warriors team), good players for every position. And they have very good coach (Kerde).

How come ''Rock'' lost to Liepajas "Lauvas'' recently?

Btw, Barons few minutes ago won their ''Reval Hotel Barons'' trophy in Arena Riga beating ASCO Slask 81:69

Šķēle 26+6 R (3P - 3/3), Gustas 15+6 R (2P - 4/4, 3P - 1/1), Hlebovicki 12, Bērziņš 7, Alexander 6+5 R, Stewart 6+12 R, Vaikulis 4, Kravčenko 3, Adomaitis 2

**matisvijs** · 09-29-2007, 06:45 PM

Barons backcourt Gustas-Šķēle looks real solid this season. If they can find some decent players at forward spots and in center, they could do some serious damage to ASK, Ventspils or even Rytas.

**pablonis** · 09-29-2007, 08:13 PM

Although some latvians may disagree (fools hope), first two spots were decided before the season even began but a fight between ASK, Ventspils, Barons and Siauliai should be interesting and unpredictable. I'm also glad to see BBL getting stronger:

two euroleague top16 calibre teams and atleast 4 average/above average uleb cup level teams, with others also gaining some strengh

**rusher** · 09-29-2007, 08:39 PM

Originally posted by matisvijs

Barons backcourt Gustas-Šķēle looks real solid this season. If they can find some decent players at forward spots and in center, they could do some serious damage to ASK, Ventspils or even Rytas.

Forwards and centers look experienced this year, we have two universal players PF/C - Bērziņš who I hope will continue to grow as a player, he can shoot from every position, good 3-point shooter, Alexander who averaged 13.9 ppg in ACB and who is also PF/C and can shoot from everywhere. As a center we have very experienced Kebu Stewart with experience playing for big European clubs in the past, very athletic, last year with Crvena Zvezda, another forward is a starter of AEL Limasol- Michal Hlebovicki (husband of our ladies NT player who is now in Italy) from Cyprus last year. Limasol was pretty good last year in FIBA EuroCup and he has played in Barons in the past so it looks he will be good 6th or 7th player. And we also have as forwards Dainius Adomaitis from Gravelines, also with lots of experience, in past though, in Euroleague and NT and we have Brūniņš who played in Poland last year.

Now it's a mixture of experienced tall men and speed and willingness to play of our youngish backcourt. If our experienced men don't get injuries than I believe this team might have a chanse of getting LBL gold this year. But ASK still will be a team to beat and we can't forget about BK Ventspils.

PS: I think I will call Demetrius Alexander as "Alexander The Great" if he will play in Barons as good as in Cajasol last year.
Someone even made a movie for Youtube about him- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjV1YYyinUU

It will be interesting when he meets his former teammate Hollis Price from LR now, who gave him those brilliant passes back there.

**Joško Poljak Fan** · 09-29-2007, 10:39 PM

btw. what is the situation in Ventpils like? I do understand that some latvian clubs are getting more ambitious lately than Ventpils does, but they've signed ex-Olimpija's coach, Okorn... so I'd be glad if someone could explain how things are looking there so far because of that, I haven't yet created a clear opinion on Okorn in this short period, but I do think he might have some promise to become a good coach one day...
eventhough it's only preseason we're talking about

**rusher** · 09-30-2007, 08:46 AM

Originally posted by Matiz

btw. what is the situation in Ventpils like? I do understand that some latvian clubs are getting more ambitious lately than Ventpils does, but they've signed ex-Olimpija's coach, Okorn... so I'd be glad if someone could explain how things are looking there so far because of that, I haven't yet created a clear opinion on Okorn in this short period, but I do think he might have some promise to become a good coach one day...
eventhough it's only preseason we're talking about

Well, Ventspils budget still isn't lower than any other year, maybe even a litle bit bigger. It's the other two clubs (Barons and ASK) that continue to improve their finansial situation. ASK has dreams of Euroleague somewhere in the future, Barons don't want to stay 2nd best in Riga so they keep developing. Ventspils simply has not so much money as ASK and even maybe as much as Barons this year.
Okorn wants his team to play defensive basketball more, as new foreigners they have Baxter and Gilchrist, Baxter hasn't played yet but Gilchrist looks to be solid at the moment. Also they'll have one player of Nigerian citizenship as a center (probably Akingbala from LEB). Okorn's trainings are really hard so maybe because of that team has played not great recently, but at the end they also have managed to beat Siauliai, some Ukrainian and Russian league clubs and yesterday they destroyed AEL Limasol so I think it'll be ok with Ventspils when the season really starts. They also have some of the brightest Latvian next generation talent but will they become important players this year, we'll see.

**rusher** · 10-02-2007, 05:31 PM

Nevezis - Liepajas "Lauvas" 58 : 60 ( 18–19, 10–16, 18–16, 12–9 )

Nice start for Lauvas beating one of three leaders of LKL at the moment. Only interesting fact that Lauvas shot only one free throw in this close game

Must be really weak offensive team or Nevezis were good on defense.

Techasas - Alytus 79 : 56 ( 28–16, 15–19, 20–9, 16–12 )

Urbonas + international (American) brigade beats Janisius and his teammates!

Aisciai Atletas - Bumerangs Gulbene 84 : 75 ( 24–18, 20–12, 19–28, 21–17 )

Not so bad game and result, if young and unexperienced Gulbene improves their game maybe they could beat some teams and not stay in the last places of Challenge Cup

Sakalai - Suduva Arvi 97 : 86 ( 24–23, 23–26, 24–13, 26–24 )

Sakalai, in my opinion, did what they needed to do. To win pretty equal team at home. And they did it. Sinica with 30 points and some good percentage for the winning team!

**Gytaz** · 10-03-2007, 03:01 PM

Lietuvos Rytas - Šiauliai 80:72 (23:22, 17:19, 22:8, 18:23)

„Lietuvos rytas“: Kenan Bajramovic 17 (3/3 3pt), Martynas Gecevičius 16, Mindaugas Lukauskis 15, Marijonas Petravičius 14, Chuck Eidson 9 (6 assists), Andrius Šležas 3, Michailas Anisimovas 2, Hollis Price 2, Artūras Jomantas 2, (Matthew Nielsen, Simas Buterlevičius).

„Šiauliai“: Donatas Zavackas 17 (3/3 3pt), Antonio Grant 13, Darius Pakamanis 9, Saulius Kuzminskas 7, Vaidas Pauliukėnas 7, Artūras Masiulis 6 (7 rebs), Tomas Rinkevičius 4, Mantas Ruikis 4, Aurimas Kieža 3, Gediminas Maceina 2.

Hollis Price was injured during the match but will be able to play on thursday.

**Afraid** · 10-03-2007, 05:38 PM

is the game between Zalgiris and Barons broadcasted via internet, or in any latvian television??

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