VEF Riga Juniors Dominate Absheron BK 105-88 in Basketball Champions League Qualifier

VEF Riga Juniors opened their Basketball Champions League qualifying campaign with a statement win, dismantling Absheron BK 105-88 at the Rimi Olympic Centre in Riga on September 14, 2026. The home side put on an offensive masterclass, shooting 54% from the field and never trailing after the opening minutes. The 17-point margin flattered the visitors, who struggled to contain VEF’s relentless pace and three-point barrage.

Match Overview

The Basketball Champions League qualifier pitted the youthful Latvian outfit against the experienced Azerbaijani champions. Played in front of a raucous home crowd, the game was effectively decided by halftime, with VEF Riga Juniors leading 58-45. Absheron BK showed flashes of resilience in the third quarter but could never string together enough stops to threaten the lead. The win gives VEF a crucial early advantage in the qualifying group, while Absheron faces an uphill battle to advance.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

• First Quarter: VEF Riga Juniors 28–20 Absheron BK — The hosts exploded out of the gate with a 12-2 run, fueled by three quick triples from Jānis Ozols. Absheron settled late but trailed by eight.
• Second Quarter: VEF 30–25 Absheron — Absheron cut the deficit to five midway through the period, but VEF responded with a 14-4 surge to close the half, capped by a Roberts Bērziņš buzzer-beating floater.
• Third Quarter: VEF 24–22 Absheron — The visitors briefly trimmed the lead to 12, but VEF’s defensive pressure forced six turnovers in the quarter, and the lead ballooned to 22 entering the fourth.
• Fourth Quarter: VEF 23–21 Absheron — With the result secure, VEF emptied the bench, and Absheron padded the scoreline late. The final margin remained comfortable.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The game’s defining stretch came late in the second quarter. With Absheron within five points at 40-35, VEF Riga Juniors unleashed a 12-2 run over the next three minutes, highlighted by back-to-back steals that turned into fast-break dunks. That burst pushed the lead to 52-37 and forced Absheron into a timeout. The Azerbaijani side never recovered, and VEF’s lead never dipped below 14 after halftime.

Another pivotal moment occurred early in the third quarter when Absheron’s leading scorer, Elvin Mammadov, picked up his fourth foul. Forced to the bench, Absheron lost its offensive rhythm, and VEF capitalized with a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach.

Tactical Story

VEF Riga Juniors came in with a clear game plan: push the tempo, attack the rim, and kick out for open threes. They executed it to perfection, finishing with 22 fast-break points and 14 made three-pointers on 30 attempts (46.7%). The young Latvian guards repeatedly beat Absheron’s transition defense, and their ball movement generated 26 assists on 38 made baskets.

Defensively, VEF employed a aggressive 2-3 zone that confused Absheron’s half-court sets. The Azerbaijani side shot just 8-of-28 from beyond the arc (28.6%) and committed 18 turnovers, which VEF converted into 24 points. Absheron’s big men struggled to defend the pick-and-roll, and VEF’s guards consistently found open shooters in the corners. On the glass, VEF held a 42-36 rebounding edge, including 12 offensive boards that led to 15 second-chance points.

Standout Players

Several players delivered standout performances in the high-scoring affair. For VEF Riga Juniors, the backcourt duo of Roberts Bērziņš and Jānis Ozols proved unstoppable, while Absheron’s veterans fought hard but received little support.

• Roberts Bērziņš (VEF Riga Juniors): 24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals — the 19-year-old guard controlled the game with poise, repeatedly breaking down Absheron’s defense off the dribble.
• Kārlis Apsītis (VEF Riga Juniors): 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks — a dominant two-way performance in the paint, including five offensive rebounds.
• Jānis Ozols (VEF Riga Juniors): 15 points, 5 three-pointers, 4 assists — his shooting outburst in the first quarter set the tone.
• Elvin Mammadov (Absheron BK): 22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists — the only Absheron player to consistently score, but foul trouble limited him to 28 minutes.
• Rashad Aliyev (Absheron BK): 17 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds — struggled with turnovers (5) but kept his team within striking distance early.
• Tural Hasanov (Absheron BK): 12 points, 9 rebounds — a solid interior presence, but he was overmatched on the defensive end.

Standings and Season Impact