Latviski
There are many well-known facts regarding the Freeport of Riga - the fact that for several years the Freeport has been and remains the leading Baltic port by cargo turnover, the fact that the Freeport plays an important role in the development of Latvian economy, as well as the fact that the port occupies almost 10% of the capital’s territory. However, few people have heard that the Freeport of Riga Authority has its own basketball team and more importantly, that the team members, as well as the fans and supporters of the team, are the people who work day by day to create the Freeport of Riga as to what it is today - one of the strongest ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic sea.
The fact that the Freeport of Riga has a basketball team is no surprise as the basketball players and supporters are the employees of almost all the existing port departments. The Port Police, IT Department, Environment and Development Department, the Freeport Fleet, Legal Department, Public Relations Department – these are only few of the entities whose employees play basketball during their free time.
The team was established twelve years ago, and within the last few years it has demonstrated the strongest performance. Within four years the Freeport of Riga team has managed to win three first prizes at the Baltic port basketball tournaments involving Kaliningrad, Tallinn, Klaipeda, Liepaja and Ventspils ports’ teams. In addition to these achievements, the team also shows a convincing performance in Dubultamatieru Basketball League, by winning the first place in 2012 in the third league, and the 1st place in the second league in 2013.
This year the Freeport of Riga Authority team debuts in the 1st league, being at the top of the total score table, as well as demonstrates excellent performance, winning 12 of 15 games. However, given that the playoff games of the Dubultamatieru League are not far, as well as the fact that in the framework of the playoff games the teams usually demonstrate higher skills and a fierce fighting spirit, it would be arrogant and reckless to rest on laurels and hope that victory is granted.
With the aim to excel in the playoff games and show its best performance and fierce resistance, the Freeport of Riga Authority team has made a tactical, but also a bold step, challenging one of the strongest teams of LBL2, a tenacious VEF School Group A basketball team to a test game on March 9.
The match promises to be interesting - although the VEF school team is composed of players who rank among the statistical leaders of Latvian Basketball League’s second division, the Freeport of Riga Authority team has its own trumps and well-known names in basketball circles, such as Brencis, Muste, Vaikulis , Elbakjans, Shilling and others.
The game is planned to be held on March 9 at the Olympic Sports Centre at. 17:30.
