Lomažs top scorer despite defeat, Strautiņš returns to Eurocup after years away
In the opening round of the ULEB Eurocup, the clubs of Latvian national team players Rihards Lomažs and Artūrs Strautiņš both lost, though both delivered solid performances, while Artūrs Kurucs was left out of his team's matchday squad.
The new ULEB Eurocup season opened with mixed results for clubs featuring Latvian basketball players. Spanish side Burgos, which includes Latvian national team captain Rihards Lomažs, defeated Ljubljana's Cedevita Olimpija at home 85:81. Burgos led for most of the game after building a lead of up to 12 points, though that advantage narrowed by the final whistle.
Lomažs was the leading scorer among the visiting team, putting up 22 points in 24 minutes on the court, converting 5 of 7 two-point attempts, 2 of 6 three-pointers and all six free throws. He also grabbed three rebounds, recorded two steals and one assist. American forward DJ Stewart top-scored for the home side with 22 points.
Strautiņš returns after a decade
Meanwhile, Italian club BC Roma, featuring Artūrs Strautiņš, lost away to Turkish side Bahcesehir 78:91. Strautiņš played just under 32 minutes, scoring nine points while adding three assists and two rebounds, with one turnover. The game marked Strautiņš's first Eurocup appearance since the 2015/16 season, when he played for Italy's Reggio Emilia. A strong performance from teammate Nik Mennion — 29 points and five assists — was not enough to secure a win for the Roman club.
Separately, the third Latvian national team player mentioned, Artūrs Kurucs, was not included in his club's matchday roster for an away game in Tenerife, where the home side beat Turk Telekom 82:75.
