Latvian basketball club VEF Rīga extended its perfect start to the FIBA Europe Cup campaign with a commanding 110-94 victory over Baku Neftchi in Azerbaijan, according to match reports. The win moves the Riga squad alongside Greece’s Mykonos at the top of Group H with a 2-0 record after two rounds of play.

VEF Rīga Overpowers Baku Neftchi Behind Aleksandrovs Career Night

Playing away from home, VEF Rīga overcame a halftime deficit to pull away in the second half. Rihards Aleksandrovs delivered a breakout performance for the visitors, scoring 27 points while grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots in what match records confirm as the highest-scoring professional game of his career. Despite shooting 43% from beyond the arc and hitting nearly half their points from three-pointers in the opening two quarters, Baku Neftchi could not sustain the pressure as VEF Rīga clamped down defensively after the break.

The hosts initially seized a 56-51 advantage at halftime, fueled largely by Šakīls Praiss’ 25 points, alongside 15 points and 10 rebounds from Aleks Stepanovič, plus 15 points and nine assists from Elaidža Hokinss. However, VEF Rīga disrupted the Baku offense early in the third quarter, forcing critical turnovers that ignited a fast-break surge. The Latvian side outscored their opponents 30-16 in the third period to turn the deficit into an 80-72 lead before coasting through the final ten minutes.

Balanced Scoring and Near Triple-Double Highlight Riga’s Offensive Pace

Beyond Aleksandrovs’ offensive explosion—which included 17 points in the first 20 minutes alone—VEF Rīga received substantial contributions across the roster. Džordans Sīrss tallied 18 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Mareks Mejeris finished just shy of a triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Ojārs Siliņš and Luis Rodriguez added 13 points apiece, with Siliņš also pulling down eight boards, while Keilebams Esbrijam chipped in 12 points and six assists.

The offensive output continues a trend for the Riga team in European competition. According to coverage by LSM, VEF Rīga leads the entire FIBA Europe Cup in scoring, averaging 108 points per game through their opening fixtures, though they also concede an average of 88 points. Team coach Gunārs Gailītis noted that the club’s high-tempo approach naturally yields high scores on both ends of the floor.

Group H Standings and Next Steps in Romania

With two rounds completed in the 48-team regular season, VEF Rīga and Mykonos sit atop Group H with two victories each. CSM Oradea of Romania and Lokomotiv Plovdiv hold single wins, while Baku Neftchi and Switzerland’s Fribourg occupy the bottom spots with two losses apiece. The top two teams from each of the eight groups advance to the second round of the tournament.

VEF Rīga will travel to Romania for their next fixture against CSM Oradea. As LSM reported ahead of the matchup, the Latvian club will have to manage without Aleksandrovs, who sustained a hand injury following his standout performance in Azerbaijan. Forward Mareks Mejeris, drawing on his two seasons of experience playing in the Romanian domestic league, emphasized the importance of pushing the pace to wear down shorter rotations.