The 2018–19 Latvian–Estonian Basketball League, known as OlyBet Latvian–Estonian Basketball League for sponsorship reasons, was the inaugural season of the newly formed Latvian–Estonian Basketball League, the combined top basketball division of Latvia and Estonia.
The season began on 28 September 2018, with the 2018 Estonian champions Kalev/Cramo hosting a game against the 2018 Latvian champions Ventspils. The Final Four was played at the Saku Suurhall in Tallinn, Estonia, with Ventspils winning the inaugural title.
Competition format The competition format follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of the regular season, which lasts from 28 September 2018 to 24 March 2018, all the teams play each other twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 28 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the eight highest-ranked teams advancing to the double-legged quarter-finals. The winning teams will determine the champion in a Final Four tournament.
Teams
15 teams, 7 from Estonia and 8 from Latvia, are contesting the league in the 2018–19 season.
Venues and locations TeamHome cityArena Avis Utilitas RaplaRaplaSadolin Sports Hall Jūrmala BetsafeJūrmalaJurmala State Gymnasium Sports Hall Jēkabpils/SMScredit.lvJēkabpilsJēkabpils Sports Hall Kalev/CramoTallinnKalev Sports Hall Latvijas UniversitāteRīgaElektrum Olympic Sports Center LiepājaLiepājaLiepāja Olympic Center OgreOgreOgre 1st Secondary School Pärnu SadamPärnuPärnu Sports Hall Tallinna Kalev/TLÜTallinnSõle Sports Centre TalTechTallinnTalTech Sports Hall Tartu ÜlikoolTartuUniversity of Tartu Sports Hall Valga-Valka/Maks & MooritsValgaValga Sports Hall Valmiera Glass VIAValmieraVidzeme Olympic Center VEF RīgaRīgaElektrum Olympic Sports Center Ventspils VentspilsVentspils Olympic Center
Personnel and sponsorship TeamHead coachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor Avis Utilitas Rapla Toomas Annuk Indrek KajupankSpaldingFenikss Casino Jūrmala Betsafe Mārtiņš Gulbis Uģis PineteSpaldingBetsafe Jēkabpils/SMScredit.lv Marko Žarković Rodrigo BūmeistersJomaPATA Kalev/Cramo Donaldas Kairys Kristjan KangurNikeCramo Latvijas Universitāte Guntis Endzels Linards JaunzemsNikeUniversity of Latvia Liepāja Artūrs Štālbergs Mareks JurevičusErreà Ogre Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis Kristaps DārgaisErreàKronus Pärnu Sadam Heiko Rannula Rannar RaapNikePort of Pärnu Tallinna Kalev/TLÜ Martin Müürsepp Mario PaisteNikeCity of Tallinn TalTech Rait Käbin Jaan PuidetNikeTallinn University of Technology Tartu Ülikool Priit Vene Julius KazakauskasNikeUniversity of Tartu Valga-Valka/Maks & Moorits Mikhail Karpenko Timo EichfussTeamshieldSynotTip Valmiera Glass ViA Roberts Zeile Jānis KaufmanisSpaldingValmiera Glass VEF Rīga Jānis Gailītis Mareks MejerisAdidasMākslai vajag telpu Ventspils Roberts Štelmahers Māris GulbisJomaPort of Ventspils
Regular season League table
Results
Play-offs The quarter-finals were played with a double-legged format while the semi-finals and final in a Final Four format was hosted at the Saku Suurhall in Tallinn, Estonia.
Bracket
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Third place game
Final
Individual statistics Players qualify to this category by having at least 50% games played.
Points RankNameTeamGamesPointsPPG1 Justin Johnson Liepāja2757921.442 Jānis Kaufmanis Valmiera Glass ViA2855419.793 Arnas Velička Tartu Ülikool2955119.004 Linards Jaunzems Latvijas Universitāte2546318.525 Toomas Raadik TalTech3053117.70
Rebounds RankNameTeamGamesReboundsRPG1 Jurijs Aleksejevs Jēkabpils/SMScredit.lv / Jūrmala Betsafe272509.262 Julius Kazakauskas Tartu Ülikool272308.523 Kristaps Dārgais Ogre322688.384 Mihkel Kirves Pärnu Sadam292418.315 Guntis Sīpoliņš Valga-Valka/Maks & Moorits / Liepāja282288.14
Assists RankNameTeamGamesAssistsAPG1 Tony Wroten Kalev/Cramo181377.612 Aaron Johnson Ventspils302026.733 Jabril Durham VEF Rīga281806.434 Rinalds Sirsniņš Ogre322046.385 Norman Käbin TalTech281635.82
Awards Most Valuable Player Rihards Lomažs ( Ventspils)
Player of the Month MonthPlayerTeamOctober Julius Kazakauskas Tartu ÜlikoolNovember Kaspars Bērziņš OgreDecember Toomas Raadik TalTechJanuary Dominique Hawkins Avis Utilitas RaplaFebruary Toomas Raadik TalTech
Estonian championship
Bracket
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Third place series
Finals
Latvian championship The six best Latvian teams qualified for the national play-offs, that started on 10 April 2019.
Quarterfinals and semifinals are played in a best-of-five games format (1-1-1-1-1) while the final in a best of seven one.
Bracket
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Third place series The team with the higher seed played game one, two, five and seven (if necessary) at home.
Finals
Estonian and Latvian clubs in European competitions Team Competition Progress Ventspils Champions League Regular seasonFIBA Europe Cup Round of 16
References
External links Official website Estonian Basketball Association Latvian Basketball Association