Rīdzinieki Win ENBL Game 101-94, Advance to Quarterfinals

Rīgas Zeļļi advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Northern Basketball League (ENBL) with a road victory over Seidarkrokuras Tindastoll of Iceland, winning 101-94 (20-19, 30-26, 27-29, 24-10).

Frankie Fidler led all scorers for the victors with 20 points and added eight assists. The performance continues a strong season for Fidler, who similarly earned recognition as the Latvijas-Igaunijas līgas (LIBL) November MVP, averaging 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in the month.

Jānis Bērziņš and Ronalds Šulcs each contributed 19 points for Rīgas Zeļļi, while Deniss Lukašovs added 12 points and eight assists. This balanced offensive attack proved crucial in securing the win.

Taivo Badmus’s 27 points weren’t enough to lift the home team, and Dāvjs Geks finished with just three points (1-for-5 from three-point range). Despite Badmus’s efforts, Tindastoll fell short against the visiting Rīgas Zeļļi.

Rīgas Zeļļi finished the regular season with a 5-3 record, good for 11th place, while Tindastoll posted a 6-2 mark to take sixth. The win propels Rīgas Zeļļi into the next stage of the tournament.

In the quarterfinals, which will be decided by a two-game total score series, Rīgas Zeļļi will face Voluntari of Romania, who finished third in the regular season. This matchup presents a new challenge for the Latvian team as they aim for continued success in the ENBL.

The result comes after Valmiera Glass/Vidzemes Augstskola was eliminated from the tournament last week, falling to Warsaw Dziki 84-97 on the road. The ENBL features 26 teams from 17 countries, with the top 16 advancing to the playoff stage.

Valmiera Glass/Vidzemes Augstskola has been a consistent participant in the league since its inception, finishing fourth in Group A last season with a 6-2 record and reaching the quarterfinals before falling to Bratislava Inter 162-190 on aggregate.