Welcome to 2024! The battle of the undefeated awaits as the Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits (3-0) will face the Bakken Bears Aarhus (2-0) on Wednesday, January 3, at the Tartu Ülikooli Spordihoone in Southern Estonia.
Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits vs Bakken Bears
Series history: Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits and Bakken Bears Aarhus will face each other for the first time.
Key matchup: Märt Rosenthal leads Tartu in several categories.
Shooting guard averages 19.4 points, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals.
Rosenthal also has the best efficiency rating – 19.9.
DeAndre Pinckney has scored 16.2 points in 23 minutes of play for the Bakken Bears.
He is the most efficient player in the ENBL at the moment with efficiency rating of 30.
Pinckney averaged 26.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in his first two games.
National championships: Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits are 11-5 at the Pafbet Estonia and Latvia league.
Gundars Vētra men won the last four games at home, defeating Rapla, Keila, Parnu and Liepāja.
Tartu also prevailed over the Bristol Flyers, 79-72, on December 19, 2023.
The Estonians have defended the home floor since November 24.
A Danish double awaits as the Svendborg Rabbits will travel to southern Estonia on January 9.
Meanwhile, the Bakken Bears suffered a 80-86 loss in the Jytland derby (Jyske derby) at Horsens on Thursday, December 28.
They rebounded with a 137-77 over BMS Herlev on December 30.
The Bakken Bears are 13-1 at the Basketligaen.
Aarhus team finished the regular season undefeated in 2021-2022.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Hendrik Laas (Estonia) – Estonian and Pafbet league referee from 2016; has worked at the 2023 Pafbet Final Four.
Umpire 1: Skirmantas Letukas (Denmark) – FIBA referee from 2021, Denmark top leagues from 2017.
Umpire 2: Rauno Kobin (Estonia) – Pafbet Estonia and Latvia league referee, has worked at the 2023 Estonian finals.
Observer: Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube live stream