The second day of the Baltic Cup 2015 began with the hosts, Estonian teams, taking on the Latvian sides in morning. In an even match-up, the Estonians got the edge, winning four games and losing three.
Biggest win: TOP Trust (68-50 vs Kekava) and Wombat (63-45 vs Tukums)
Top scorer: Ermil Kuldkepp (TOP Trust) – 26
Top rebounder: Zane Rozite (Tukums) – 12
Top assister: Peep Kubber (Wombat) – 7
Game recaps
Tukums earned their first win in the Baltic Cup 2015 competition after defeating Estonian hosts Sameko 35-31 in the M65 age category. Having collected 11 points for the winners, Juris Dambitis was the only player in double figures. Janis Brunevics had seven points for the winners, while Tomas Tuul had a team-high nine points for the Estonian side.
TOP Trust began their day with a relatively easy 68-50 victory against Kekava, for whom it was already the second loss in the M55 age group. Ermil Kuldkepp made 12-of-19 shots from the field for a game-high 26 points for the Estonian team, Rein Kludsoo added 16 points. For Kekava, Konstantins Atanasovs collected 20 points and nine rebounds.
In the M40 age category, Corporate Solutions bounced back from the previous day’s loss by taking a 55-38 victory against Setu Sauna Selts from Estonia. Normunds Freierbergs was the leading scorer for the Latvians once again, dropping 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds to go along with five assists as well. Janek Ruusmere and Mait Maasik finished with 14 points apiece for Setu Sauna Selts.
Estonian team Wombat handed Tukums their second loss in as many days, topping their Latvian rivals 63-45. Peedu Pedaru was the game’s leading scorer with 22 points and eight rebounds, Ott Poldsaar had 19 points, while Peep Kubber finished with 15 points, five rebounds and seven assists. For Tukums, Andris Liepins scored 16 points and dished out six assists.
In the M45 group, Parnu registered another win for Estonia, defeating Kekava 60-54 in their home court. Mait Kabin and Veljo Miklas had 17 points apiece for the winners, as the players also added seven and six rebounds respectively. Ugis Lasmanis scored 21 points for the Latvian side, but it wasn’t enough to save Kekava from the defeat.
In the women competition, Estonia celebrated a 32-16 victory against Cesis in the W40 age category. Monica Vood and Kai Lass led the winners with eight points each. Ester Hermet added seven points. For Cesis, Diana Baranovska and Gita Kulackovska had six points apiece.
Meanwhile, Tukums got the better off Tark el torma in the W50 age category, defeating their opponents 44-42 in a game that went down to the wire. The Latvian team won the fourth quarter 14-2 to snatch the come-from-behind victory. Zane Rozite had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the victors, while Ulle Jarv and Katrin Aava led Tark el torma in scoring with 10 points apiece.
Since there are only two teams in both of the women categories, Estonia and Tukums became the first Baltic Cup winners in their respective categories.
