Blumbergs scores 15 in Joventut win, Strautins misses potential winner for Roma
Latvian basketball players featured in several European leagues on 14 November. Roberts Blumbergs scored 15 points as Badalona's Joventut won in Spain, while Arturs Strautins' BC Roma lost by one point in Italy.
In Spain's top-flight basketball league, Badalona's Joventut won 99-94 away at Zaragoza, ending a three-game losing streak. Latvian player Roberts Blumbergs was the visitors' second-highest scorer, with 15 points and five rebounds in 29 minutes and 27 seconds. His season high is 16 points.
Other Latvians in Spain also played. Arturs Kurucs scored five points in 13 minutes and 20 seconds as Tenerife (6-2) beat last-placed Andorra (1-7) 90-84. Ingus Jakovics added 11 points in 26.5 minutes as Palencia (7-1) won 86-77 at Zamora. Toms Leimanis scored four points and grabbed three rebounds in 26 minutes, while Ourense beat Caja 87 87-74 at home for a third straight win.
Italy
In the Italian league, BC Roma of Rome failed to erase a 12-point deficit in the final quarter and lost 89-88 at home to Verona. It was their third consecutive league defeat, leaving them at 2-6 for the season. Arturs Strautins scored five points and took seven rebounds in 29 minutes, but missed a three-pointer that would have won the game in the closing seconds.
Poland and Belgium
In Poland, champions Legia Warsaw lost 85-78 at home to leaders Szczecin, their third defeat in a row. Krister Zoriks scored nine points. Torun won 106-76 at home against last-placed Sopot, who have lost all seven of their games; Kristaps Kilps scored eight points. In the Belgian league, Mechelen won 91-68 away at Leuven, with Davids Viksne contributing eight points and seven rebounds.
Latvian coaches
Lisbon's Benfica, coached by Ainars Bagatskis, beat Madeira 69-62 at home and, at 6-1, sits among three leading teams in Portugal. In Norway, Trondheim's Nidaros Jets, coached by Oskars Virsis, beat TNT Towers 117-92; Nidaros are 2-11 and TNT Towers 0-10.
