On Wednesday, the VEF Rīga team started the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Champions League group tournament with a loss at the last second.
The Riga team conceded to the French club “Strasbourg” in the first game of Group E on their field with the result 75:77.
In the VEF Rīga team, Kristers Zoriks was the most successful with 17 points, Aigars Šķēls had 15 points and seven assists, Michael Kaizers scored 11 points, seven rebounds and three block throws, but Aizija Pinjeiro had 11 points and seven balls under the baskets.
Deander Lensdon stood out with 26 points, but 15 points and seven rebounds were victorious for Bonzie Colzon.
The Rigans started the game powerfully, accumulating a 14-point lead in the first quarter. As a result of great artwork, the accurate long shots were given, two of which were realized by Zoriks, who added three more points from the penalty throw line. On the other hand, the guests had an unconvincing attack at the start of the match, but in the course of the quarter they played back and ended the first ten minutes with an accurate long shot (30:24 “in favor of VEF Rīga).
In the second quarter, the guests kept a short distance from Strasbourg until in the middle of the quarter, after the mistake of the Rigans, took the lead – 36:35. The home team quickly returned to the lead and, thanks largely to the legionnaires’ performance, finished the first half with a four-point lead – 46:42.
The successful start of the second half allowed the team led by Jānis Gailītis to accumulate a nine-point handicap (52:43). However, “Strasbourg” gradually played out and at the beginning of the fourth quarter Andre Lensdon took the lead and later gained a five-point lead over the guests (64:59).
The Rigans did not let their opponents go far and in the fifth minute of the quarter Zoriks equalized the result with a long shot (66:66), but less than a minute and a half later Šķēle also threw a “third”, regaining the lead for the home team (69:68). Next, Kaiser’s selfless game in defense allowed the Latvian team to retain the lead for a few minutes, but two minutes before the end of the regular time, the guests regained the lead with two accurate free throws – 70:69.
Šķēle and Zoriks then threw one penalty shot at a time, where they helped to regain the lead, but instead of a three-point advantage, they gained the lead (71:70). This was a good period for the visitors, with several opportunities to take the lead, particularly when Zoriks slipped through the defense on the right to come up alone against Zoriks, but the home side’s keeper showed his lightning reflexes. This time the Latvian basketball player was unmistakable, reaching 73:70 48 seconds before the final whistle.
At the end of the second field, Kolzons threw a long shot and equalized the result, but 18 seconds before the end of the regular time, Šķēle regained the lead for the Rigans after the pass – 75:73. In the following attack on the guests, the rules were violated. Jean-Baptiste Malé scored from the penalty spot, putting the ball in near the top left corner. In the last second, Colzon took a free-range shot, ripping the French team to a 77:75 victory.
In addition to both teams, Group E also includes Vilnius “Rytas” and the Greek team “Peristeri”. They both played their first game in the group, winning the Greek basketball players 106: 88 in Vilnius on Tuesday.
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