VEF Riga Lose to Greece's Mykonos in FIBA Europe Cup Despite Leading by 14 Points
Riga basketball club VEF Riga lost 88-91 at home to Greek side Mykonos in the fourth round of the FIBA Europe Cup. The hosts led 72-58 going into the final quarter.
Latvian basketball club VEF Riga lost 88-91 at home to Greece's Mykonos on Wednesday in a fourth-round game of the FIBA Europe Cup, a European club basketball competition. The Riga side led for most of the game, but the final quarter decided the outcome.
A confident start
VEF Riga began the game strongly and built a 13-point lead early in the second quarter. The Greek players fought back and levelled the score at 49-49 at the start of the third quarter. The hosts then regained the initiative, and after an accurate shot by Aigars Šķēle their advantage grew to 15 points. Before the last quarter, the Riga team led 72-58.
The final quarter
The situation changed quickly toward the end. The visitors cut the gap to two points and later took the lead. With 38 seconds left, Šķēle hit a three-pointer to make it 88-87 for VEF Riga, but the Greek team immediately answered with a three-pointer of its own.
On the final possession, VEF Riga players lost the ball, and the visitors sealed the win with an accurate free throw.
Another Latvian team also loses
On Wednesday, the other Latvian team in the competition, Valmiera Glass/Vidzemes Augstskola, also suffered a defeat. It lost 85-87 at home to Turkey's Korfez.
The two best teams from each group will advance to the next round of the tournament.
