Super Tuesday is two days away! January 9 will feature four games, including three matches in the Group A. The first two games are set to start at the same time – Spartak Pleven will host Start Lublin, while Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits will face the Svendborg Rabbits.
Spartak Pleven vs Polski Cukier Start Lublin
Series history: Spartak Pleven and Start Lublin will face each other for the first time.
Key matchup: Nikolay Stoyanov averages 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds.
He shoots 66.2% from the two points line and 56.9% from the three points line.
Bryant Thomas (Carson Newman University 2023) has 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Jabril Durham leads Start Lublin with 13.8 points and 8.1 assists per game.
Arkansas standout shoots 51.6% from the two points line and 30.1% from the three points line.
Liam O`Reilly (Gardner-Webb 2018) averages 18.4 points and 5.4 assists.
National championships: Spartak Pleven are 10-5 at the National basketball league.
They share the third place with Rilski Sportist, trailing to Chernomorets Burgas (13-2) and CSKA Sofia (11-3).
Spartak has a 5-1 record on the home floor in the NBL and 0-2 in the ENBL.
The next two ENBL games are scheduled at the Svendborg Rabbits and the Landstede Hammers.
Start Lublin are 9-7 at the Orlen Basket Liga.
Five more teams have the same record – Stal Ostrow, King Szczecin, Legia Warszawa, Arriva Polski Cukier Torun and Spojnia Stargard.
Anwil Wloclawek leads the league with a 14-2 record, followed by Trefl Sopot (11-5).
Start opened the 2024 on January 4, with a 84-98 loss at Arriva Polski Cukier Torun.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Vladimir Zanev (Bulgaria) – FIBA referee from 2017; officiating in Greece and Cyprus before moving to Bulgaria in 2022.
Umpire 1: Michal Kuzia (Poland) – top division in Poland from 2017; has worked at the Alpe Adria Cup from 2018.
Umpire 2: Dimitar Georgiev (Bulgaria) – top division in Bulgaria from 2017, FIBA referee from 2023.
Observer: Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube live stream
Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits vs Svendborg Rabbits
Series history: Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits and Svendborg Rabbits will face each other for the first time.
Key matchup: Märt Rosenthal averages 19.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in the Pafbet Estonia and Latvia league.
He shoots 47.6% from the field, including 33.6% from the three point line.
Rinalds Mālmanis has 13.0 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Jaedon Willis leads Svendborg Rabbits with 17.3 points and 5.3 assists.
A Notre Dame College (NCAA 2) standout shoots 41.9% from the two points line and 34.9% from the three points line.
National championships: Tartu Ülikool Maks&Moorits are 11-6 at the Pafbet Estonia and Latvia league.
They dropped Saturday, January 6, game at VEF Rīga, 73-88.
Tartu won five consecutive games at home, until losing to the Bakken Bears Aarhus on January 3.
The Svendborg Rabbits are 12-3 at the Basketligaen.
They trail only to the Bakken Bears Aarhus.
Svendborg suffered a 77-110 loss at the hands of the Bears on Saturday, January 6.
The Rabbits are seeking their first win in the ENBL.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Rainis Vārv (Estonia) – FIBA referee from 2023; Estonian and Pafbet Estonian-Latvian league referee; has worked at the 2023 Pafbet Final 4.
Umpire 1: Andrada Csender (Denmark) – Romanian top league referee, FIBA referee from 2012, Denmark top league referee from 2019; has worked four times at the EuroLeague Women Final 4 and at the EuroBasket Women.
Umpire 2: Ivo Kitsing (Estonia) – have been officiating from 2007, first top league game on November 14, 2014 (BBL), FIBA referee from 2023.
Observer: Mareks Voļskis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube live stream