Basketball: Tartu University goes down to Latvian rivals Valmiera
Tartu University's basketball team, Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits, crumbled in the final quarter of their Optibet Latvian-Estonian Basketball League match with Valmiera Glass VIA. They went down 84:69.
The loss to the Latvian team ended Tartu's three-game streak.
A Tartu Ülikool spokesperson said: "The fourth quarter was that point where the game slipped away from us," said a, as their team managed only 3 of 19 field goals in the final period. Valmiera Glass VIA dominated the final ten minutes. They outscored Tartu 24:8 to secure a decisive 84:69 victory.
Despite leading by nine points in the first half (41:32) and entering the final quarter with a narrow advantage (61:60), Tartu was unable to sustain their performance. "We lost our rhythm offensively and couldn't contain their energy," one team analyst noted.
Omar El-Sheikh led for Tartu with 17 points. Jalen Henry contributed 14, and Karl Johan Lips added 11.
Elsewhere in the league, the other Tuesday games also proved difficult for Estonian teams. Coolbet Keila lost away to Ventspils 93:68. Keila KK suffered an 86:63 home defeat, albeit against another Estonian team this time: Rapla Utilitas.
In the overall standings, the top three teams in the Optibet League remain unchanged: Riga VEF (21-2), BC Kalev/Cramo (20-4), and Riga Zelli (20-6).
Tartu Ülikool (16-9) and Valmiera (16-10) follow closely behind.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Siim Boikov
