OUR OPPONENT

VEF (RIGA, LATVIA)

Founded in 1929
Team colors: black and white
Honors: Latvian champion (2011, 2012, 2013), Latvian championship silver medalist (2010), Baltic League silver medalist (2011), USSR championship bronze medalist (1960, 1966, 1991), Baltic League Cup bronze medalist (2012)
Arena: Arena Riga (capacity – 12500)
President: Maris Martinsons
General manager: Edgars Jaunups
Head coach: Ramunas Butautas
Official website: www.vefriga.com

Rimas Kurtinaitis, BC Khimki head coach:

— At the start of the season VEF had some problems because of the lack of a center. Before Euroleague qualifying round coach Butautas had only two young players at the positions of a power forward and a center. In the first half of October VEF was joined by an experienced player Kenan Bajramovic, who added a lot of energy to the team, as well as a forward Derrick Nix. So right now our opponent has a full roster. At home VEF always plays with double energy, and this team is very tough, despite the fact that we beat them so confidently last season. Recent Eurocup knock-down defeat from Maccabi Haifa Bazan must have shaken and infuriated VEF players, so we expect a hard game. VEF likes to play zone defense, the team has good performers such as Janicenoks, Bajramovic, Berzins and Delininkaitis. As for us we play better from game to game. Of course, there is some technical defect in our game, but the number of mistakes is decreasing, that is good. As always, we are targeted at winning this game.