BK Ventspils Crowned 2018 LBL Champions

 BK Ventspils prevailed over VEF Riga 81-78 in Game 6 of the finals and were crowned the 2018 LBL Champions on Wednesday night. This is their 10th Latvian League Championship and the yellow shirts return to the top of the podium once again with the last time being in 2014. They finished 2017-18 as the top seed with a 26-3 record. VEF Riga was a distant fourth (19-4).

Ventspils used a balanced attack to keep their hosts off balance and were able to overcome a monster game by VEF Riga’s Ken Brown who dropped a game-high 22 points. Ventspils’ depth came into play here, with their reserves keeping up their momentum, secured in the second and third quarters. Julius Jucikas paced the guest team with 15 points. Aigars Skele put up a well-rounded performance with 12 points, seven boards and five assists.

As for the tale of the tape, you can look to Ventspils’ 10-more free throws made plus their 34-28 advantage on the glass as their keys to success. They kept their composure in the final frame and were able to fend off attempts by VEF Riga to reclaim the lead they enjoyed in the opening quarter.

Latvia’s LBL has a new champion! Will BK Ventspils defend their crown in 2018-19? It will definitely be must-watch action for fans of Latvian hoops.