TTT Riga Face Ramla in European Cup as Ilze Jakobsone Joins Squad

The Riga women's basketball team TTT will play Israeli champion Elitzur Ramla on Wednesday, 4 November, at 19:00 at the Rimi Olympic Centre in Riga. The match is part of Group F of EuroCup Women, Europe's second-tier club competition for women. Ramla has won thirteen Israeli titles. The game is crucial for TTT's hopes of reaching the knockout stage. The first half will be shown on TV4, and the full game on the portal.

For the match, TTT has registered point guard Ilze Jakobsone. The club is seeking reinforcement after an injury to Enija Viksne, but limited finances leave few options.

Recent form

The team, coached by Aigars Neripš and Kaspars Mājenieks, is playing its third European Cup game in seven days. On Thursday it lost at home to Euroleague qualifier Reyer Venezia 72:91, and on Monday to Elitzur Ramla 76:82. After trailing 20:31 early on, TTT caught up several times but never took the lead. Ramla's Imari Thomas scored 29 points.

In Group F after three rounds, Venezia lead (three wins, one loss), Ramla are second (2-1), and TTT are third with one win and two defeats. A win would not guarantee a knockout place and a loss would not end the hopes, but without a victory over Ramla reaching the play-offs would be almost impossible.

Jakobsone's return

The Valmiera native has joined TTT for the fifth time. She debuted on 13 October 2012 in the Latvian-Estonian League and played 67games over three seasons under Neriņš. She later returned in 2020–2021, in 2023, and in 2024, when she spent one month on an open contract. After the birth of her daughter she trained individually, took part in a national team camp in the summer and joined TTT sessions periodically in the autumn.

The opponent

Ramla's squad includes five Israeli national team candidates. Latvian Elīna Babkina also ended her playing career at the club, becoming Israeli champion on 27 April 2023.