The 2024 ENBL playoffs will continue on Tuesday, March 12, as the Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits will host CSO Voluntari in the first game of best-of-two series.
Series history: Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits and CSO Voluntari will face each other for the first time.
Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits finished third in the Group A with a 4-3 record.
CSO Voluntari finished second in the Group B with a 6-1 record.
Tartu are 3-1 in the ENBL home games.
Voluntari are 3-1 in ENBL road games.
Tartu advanced to the Final Four in 2022.
Gundars Vētra is the head coach of Tartu, while Ainars Bagatskis is the head coach of Voluntari.
Vētra recently coached the Latvian Women`s national team and posted a 5-2 record in official FIBA games.
Bagatskis was a head coach of Latvia and Ukraine men`s national teams.
Vētra was the first Latvian player in the NBA.
Key matchup: Märt Rosenthal averages 13.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists for Tartu.
He shoots 42.9% from the two point line, 32.5% from the three point line and 82.4% from the charity stripe.
Trevon Allen averages 16.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists for CSO Voluntari.
Point guard shoots 42.6% from the two point line, 46.0% from the three point line and 69.2% from the free throw line.
National championships: Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits are 18-9 at the Pafbet Estonia and Latvia league.
Kalev/Cramo leads the table with a 25-1 record, followed by Prometey (22-4), VEF Rīga (22-5) and Ventspils (19-8).
Prometey recently received a 0-20 forfeit and zero points for skipping the road game at Tartu.
The visiting club has advanced to the EuroCup quarterfinals – with six healthy players.
Prometey was exploring the ways to postpone a game but it wasn`t possible due to a tight schedule.
Tartu has a 5-0 record in their last five games – including Prometey forfeit – on the home floor.
Their previous loss came at the hands of the Bakken Bears on January 3.
CSO Voluntari are 6-7 at the Liga Nationala “Top 10” stage.
Cluj Napoca has a 13-0 record, followed by Oradea (10-3), Pitesti (8-5) and Sibiu (6-7).
Three more teams – Constanta, Rapid and Targu Mures – have a 5-8 record.
Voluntari posted a 92-74 road win at Targu Mures on March 7.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Juris Brūveris (Latvia) – one of the most experienced referees in Latvia, LBL referee for more than years, has worked at the 2021 EWBL final.
Umpire 1: Hendrik Laas (Estonia) – Pafbet Estonia and Latvia league referee, has worked at the 2023 Pafbet league Final Four.
Umpire 2: Ciprian Stoica (Romania) – Liga Nationala referee from 1999, FIBA referee from 2011, Basketball Champions league referee 2016-2019.
Observer: Mareks Voļskis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube live stream