On Saturday, May 4, the semifinals of the Latvian Youth Basketball League for U19 boys took place at the Daugava Sports House in Riga. Ventspils sports school “Spars” defeated DSN with 81:73, returning to the finals of the tournament after an 11-year break. Basketball school “Rīga”/Alfreda Kraukļa VEF beat Liepāja – 86:65.
In the Super League, the teams ranked as follows:
1) BS Riga/Alfreda Krauklia VEF,
2) DSN,
3) Ventspils Spars,
4) Marupe,
5) Liepāja, 6) Ogre,
7) Bertāns Valmiera Basketball School,
8) Salaspils,
9) Bauska,
10) Basketball class/Valka,
11) Jēkabpils,
12) Riga/Center.
The owners of the first three places in the main tournament – not without difficulties, but overcame the barrier of the quarter-finals, while the winner of the fourth position, Mārupe, recognized Liepāja’s superiority – 73:75. Marupians rehabilitated on Saturday with a victory over Salaspili, while Valmiera defeated Ogri on the way to the “Top 6”.
The boys of the basketball school “Rīga”/Alfrēdas Kraukļas VEF, coached by Guntars Jonāns, convincingly defeated Liepāja in the first semi-final – 86:65 (52:25 at halftime). Six players scored at least 10 points each for the winners, but Valdis Valters – this time with number 18 – made the only three-point shot.
The final game of the day offered a more intense battle. The players of Ventspils, coached by Jānis Zemelas, defeated the 2023 champions – DSN, coached by Mārtiņš Fomins – with 81:73.
In the youth league, Kurzemi had three outstanding scorers. Jānis Censonis and Krišjānis Pētersons scored 9 out of 17 three-point shots as a duo, and each scored 25 points in the end. Tom Marcus Salnajs was as aggressive near the basket as Censoni, finishing with 16 points.
