Vilka and Meldere help win Italian thriller as Bulāne shines in Bundesliga debut round
Latvian basketball players and coaches competed in Italy, the Czech Republic, Germany and Spain on Sunday, with Elizabete Bulāne's 19 points and a tight Italian win from Kate Vilka and Laura Meldere among the highlights.
Italy
Twelve top-division clubs gathered in the Molise province city of Campobaso for Italy's October 3–4 round. Home side La Molisana Magnolia Basket narrowly beat Ladies Libertas Livorno 57:55 in the closing game, pulling away during a decisive third-quarter run. Kate Vilka tied for the game's top scoring with 11 points, adding five rebounds, two assists and four steals. Laura Meldere scored four points, all in the second half, along with four rebounds.
Czech Republic
Kara Trutnov fell on the road to SBŠ Ostrava 55:74, a week after defeating Slovanka. Coming off the bench, Līna Loceniece scored nine points for Trutnov.
Germany
Several Bundesliga games featured Latvian talent. Rūdolfs Rozītis-coached Nordlingen lost at home to defending champions Keltern 53:77. Halle edged past Hannover 81:79 at home, holding on to a halftime lead. Marta Miščenko contributed 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Halle, while Estere Petrus made her Bundesliga debut, scoring three points. Saarlouis Royals lost away to Osnabrück 63:65 after squandering a six-point lead late in the game; Elizabete Bulāne led the team with 19 points, eight of them coming in the fourth quarter.
Spain
Logroño-based club Bosonit Unibasket opened its second-tier league season with a road trip to the Spanish enclave of Melilla in Africa, losing 57:63. Madlēna Ģērķe scored 10 points and posted the team's best efficiency rating.
