# 2023–24 Latvian–Estonian Basketball League

The 2023–24 Latvian–Estonian Basketball League, known as Paf Latvian–Estonian Basketball League for sponsorship reasons, was the sixth season of the Latvian–Estonian Basketball League, the premier basketball competition for men's teams in Latvia and Estonia.

## Change of play-off format

For the first time in league history play-off format changed. Quarterfinals are still to be played in the best-of-three series, however there will be no Final Four tournament anymore. Instead, semifinals are to be played in the best-of-three format. Bronze and gold medals will be played out in one game, host team being the one that was higher in the final standings of the regular season.

## Teams

A total of 16 teams are participating in the 2023–24 edition of the league, including the newly established Rīgas Zeļļi. However Rakvere Tarvas left the league. For the second consecutive season, the league is also joined by Ukrainian team BC Prometey, who are the defending champions. Estonian teams with games against each other started the season one week earlier, because of Latvian national team participated in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and coaches from many Latvian teams were involved in the national team coaching staff.

### Venues and locations

| Team | Home city | Arena | Capacity |
| AVIS UTILITAS Rapla | Rapla | Sadolin Sports Hall | 958 |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | Tallinn | Unibet Arena | 7,200 |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | Tallinn | Kalev Sports Hall | 1,700 |
| BC Prometey | Riga | Arena Riga | 11,200 |
| BC Prometey | Riga | Rimi Olympic Sports Center | 830 |
| BK Liepāja | Liepāja | Liepāja Olympic Center | 2,542 |
| BK Ogre | Ogre | Arēna Ogre | 1,700 |
| BK Ventspils | Ventspils | Ventspils Olympic Center | 3,085 |
| Keila Coolbet | Keila | Keila Health Center | 800 |
| Latvijas Universitāte | Riga | Rimi Olympic Sports Center | 830 |
| Pärnu Sadam | Pärnu | Pärnu Sports Hall | 1,820 |
| Rīgas Zeļļi | Riga | Arena Riga | 11,200 |
| Rīgas Zeļļi | Riga | Daugava Sports Hall | |
| Rīgas Zeļļi | Riga | Salaspils Sporta nams | |
| Rīgas Zeļļi | Riga | Mārupes Sporta centrs | |
| Rīgas Zeļļi | Riga | Sporta komplekss Cēsis | 1,080 |
| Tallinn Kalev/SNABB | Tallinn | Nord Cramo Sports Hall | 980 |
| TalTech/OPTIBET | Tallinn | TalTech Sports Hall | 1,000 |
| Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | Tartu | University of Tartu Sports Hall | 2,600 |
| Valmiera GLASS VIA | Valmiera | Vidzeme Olympic Center | 1,500 |
| VEF Rīga | Riga | Rimi Olympic Sports Center | 830 |
| Viimsi | Haabneeme | Forus Sports Center | 500 |

### Personnel and sponsorship

| Team | Head coach | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| AVIS UTILITAS Rapla | Brett Nõmm | Martin Paasoja | Spalding | Avis, Utilitas, Hepa |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | Heiko Rannula | Martin Dorbek | Nike | Unibet, Cramo |
| BC Prometey | Ronen Ginzburg | Illia Sydorov | Nike | DMart. |
| BK Liepāja | Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis | Kristaps Miglinieks | Nike | CleanR Grupa |
| BK Ogre | Uldis Švēde | Kristaps Dārgais | Nike | Steel |
| BK Ventspils | Gints Fogels | Artūrs Ausējs | Joma | Kurekss Ltd. |
| Keila Coolbet | Peep Pahv | Denis Krestinin | Nike | Coolbet |
| Latvijas Universitāte | Gunārs Gailītis | Edvards Lucis | Nike | Evolution, University of Latvia |
| Pärnu Sadam | Gert Kullamäe | Troy Barnies | Nike | Betsafe, Port of Pärnu |
| Rīgas Zeļļi | Juris Umbraško | Uģis Pinete | Nike | Betsafe |
| Tallinn Kalev/SNABB | Kalle Klandorf | Mario Paiste | Nike | SNABB |
| TalTech/OPTIBET | Alar Varrak | Oliver Metsalu | Nike | Optibet |
| Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | Gundars Vētra | Rain Veideman | Ballzy | Maks & Moorits |
| Valmiera Glass VIA | Nikolajs Mazurs | Edmunds Elksnis | Nike | Valmiera Glass |
| VEF Rīga | Jānis Gailītis | Dairis Bertāns | Adidas | LVBET |
| Viimsi | Valdo Lips | Oliver Suurorg | Nike | Viimsi |

## Regular season
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | PCT | Qualification |
| 1 | BC Kalev/Cramo | 30 | 29 | 1 | 2597 | 2079 | +518 | .967 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 2 | BC Prometey | 30 | 26 | 4 | 2688 | 2032 | +656 | .867 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 3 | VEF Rīga | 30 | 24 | 6 | 2569 | 2161 | +408 | .800 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 4 | BK Ventspils | 30 | 20 | 10 | 2737 | 2543 | +194 | .667 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 5 | Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | 30 | 19 | 11 | 2262 | 2082 | +180 | .633 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 6 | Rīgas Zeļļi | 30 | 18 | 12 | 2372 | 2214 | +158 | .600 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 7 | BK Ogre | 30 | 17 | 13 | 2407 | 2314 | +93 | .567 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 8 | Pärnu Sadam | 30 | 15 | 15 | 2324 | 2314 | +10 | .500 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 9 | TalTech/OPTIBET | 30 | 14 | 16 | 2378 | 2422 | −44 | .467 | |
| 10 | AVIS UTILITAS Rapla | 30 | 12 | 18 | 2239 | 2337 | −98 | .400 | |
| 11 | BK Liepāja | 30 | 11 | 19 | 2347 | 2446 | −99 | .367 | |
| 12 | Keila Coolbet | 30 | 10 | 20 | 2373 | 2584 | −211 | .333 | |
| 13 | Valmiera GLASS VIA | 30 | 9 | 21 | 2232 | 2484 | −252 | .300 | |
| 14 | Latvijas Universitāte | 30 | 6 | 24 | 2059 | 2504 | −445 | .200 | |
| 15 | Viimsi | 30 | 6 | 24 | 2048 | 2551 | −503 | .200 | |
| 16 | Tallinn Kalev/SNABB | 30 | 4 | 26 | 2103 | 2668 | −565 | .133 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | RAP | KAL | BCP | BKL | OGR | BKV | KEI | LAT | PAR | ZEL | TKL | TCH | TRT | VIA | VEF | VMS |
| AVIS UTILITAS Rapla | — | 67–71 | 61–102 | 98–89 | 72–61 | 72–76 | 86–94 | 71–63 | 81–89 | 68–89 | 72–78 | 80–79 | 79–78 | 76–83 | 71–85 | 85–64 |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | 82–54 | — | 80–65 | 91–69 | 106–51 | 81–60 | 92–79 | 89–78 | 78–77 | 73–65 | 98–51 | 81–63 | 74–71 | 108–68 | 73–66 | 82–61 |
| BC Prometey | 90–66 | 103–72 | — | 103–70 | 76–85 | 86–77 | 113–59 | 81–47 | 101–74 | 92–79 | 107–62 | 101–71 | 93–71 | 91–77 | 70–66 | 106–61 |
| BK Liepāja | 72–65 | 90–93 | 70–83 | — | 75–61 | 70–90 | 99–88 | 92–70 | 75–65 | 84–81 | 87–63 | 68–81 | 78–84 | 83–74 | 78–85 | 73–76 |
| BK Ogre | 75–77 | 67–78 | 68–91 | 86–62 | — | 105–99 | 89–65 | 78–65 | 93–72 | 75–87 | 101–73 | 89–56 | 65–80 | 76–66 | 74–94 | 88–71 |
| BK Ventspils | 88–78 | 88–110 | 94–96 | 96–102 | 84–78 | — | 116–87 | 103–81 | 91–84 | 100–92 | 93–66 | 101–90 | 92–63 | 106–64 | 68–107 | 97–90 |
| Keila Coolbet | 75–86 | 71–115 | 74–89 | 97–89 | 80–71 | 93–103 | — | 95–72 | 88–93 | 71–78 | 83–74 | 81–86 | 80–73 | 77–80 | 72–77 | 82–80 |
| Latvijas Universitāte | 54–72 | 56–104 | 60–106 | 68–69 | 64–78 | 71–97 | 79–74 | — | 56–77 | 59–88 | 87–60 | 60–86 | 68–98 | 87–82 | 72–85 | 84–71 |
| Pärnu Sadam | 66–61 | 70–100 | 49–80 | 83–79 | 73–82 | 77–80 | 83–66 | 93–63 | — | 69–64 | 104–63 | 92–70 | 84–82 | 68–70 | 78–88 | 79–63 |
| Rīgas Zeļļi | 77–78 | 71–75 | 65–91 | 81–79 | 75–83 | 89–86 | 77–56 | 87–62 | 85–81 | — | 78–50 | 81–51 | 59–56 | 87–78 | 93–86 | 81–64 |
| Tallinn Kalev/SNABB | 76–82 | 66–84 | 52–110 | 85–77 | 88–100 | 80–94 | 91–101 | 75–83 | 75–82 | 64–89 | — | 73–82 | 63–77 | 87–79 | 66–92 | 56–69 |
| TalTech/OPTIBET | 86–79 | 64–67 | 24 Mar | 89–68 | 90–93 | 100–98 | 83–72 | 73–81 | 75–77 | 72–89 | 105–74 | — | 83–87 | 99–81 | 80–78 | 96–59 |
| Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | 71–61 | 63–77 | 20–0 | 78–63 | 82–76 | 83–88 | 77–73 | 90–71 | 88–78 | 63–56 | 87–71 | 65–73 | — | 93–71 | 74–72 | 76–24 |
| Valmiera GLASS VIA | 77–75 | 79–86 | 71–91 | 65–88 | 73–94 | 74–92 | 80–90 | 67–53 | 61–56 | 71–78 | 96–62 | 78–67 | 61–69 | — | 85–105 | 68–60 |
| VEF Rīga | 80–78 | 76–82 | 83–76 | 86–76 | 81–74 | 99–76 | 81–60 | 79–74 | 80–64 | 98–77 | 94–64 | 95–59 | 88–73 | 84–71 | — | 96–46 |
| Viimsi | 67–88 | 70–95 | 67–91 | 78–73 | 59–91 | 75–104 | 72–90 | 84–71 | 76–87 | 79–74 | 75–95 | 70–88 | 61–90 | 96–82 | 57–83 | — |

## Playoffs
### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | 2–0 | Pärnu Sadam | 83–77 | 77-63 |
| BC Prometey | 2–0 | BK Ogre | 97–82 | 90-82 |
| VEF Rīga | 2–0 | Rīgas Zeļļi | 87–72 | 94–87 |
| BK Ventspils | 2–1 | Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | 103–69 | 69–82 | 103–83 |

#### BK Ventspils vs. Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits
### Semifinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | 2–1 | BK Ventspils | 91–65 | 70–85 | 84–73 |
| BC Prometey | 2–0 | VEF Rīga | 76–66 | 87–66 |

#### BC Prometey vs. VEF Rīga
### Third place game
### Final
## Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Kalev/Cramo | 2 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Pärnu Sadam | 0 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Pärnu Sadam | 0 | 1 | Kalev/Cramo | 2 | | | |
| | | | 4 | BK Ventspils | 1 | | | |
| 4 | BK Ventspils | 2 | 4 | BK Ventspils | 1 | | | |
| 5 | Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | 1 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | 1 | | | | 1 | Kalev/Cramo | 83 |
| | | | | | | 2 | BC Prometey | 91 |
| 2 | BC Prometey | 2 | | | | | | | 2 | BC Prometey | 91 |
| 7 | BK Ogre | 0 | | | |
| 7 | BK Ogre | 0 | 2 | BC Prometey | 2 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | 3 | VEF Rīga | 0 |
| 3 | VEF Rīga | 2 | 3 | VEF Rīga | 0 | 3 | VEF Rīga | 84 |
| 6 | Rīgas Zeļļi | 0 | | | | 4 | BK Ventspils | 76 |

## Awards
### MVP of the Month

| Month | Player | Team |
| 2023 ||||
| October | Kasper Suurorg | TalTech/OPTIBET |
| November | Linards Jaunzems | BK Ventspils |
| December | Märt Rosenthal | Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits |
| 2024 ||||
| January | Ishmael El-Amin | BK Ventspils |
| February | Siim-Markus Post | Pärnu Sadam |
| March | Arnaldo Toro Barea | VEF Rīga |

### Final MVP

Gian Clavell ( BC Prometey)

### All-Finals Team

* Ronald March ( BC Prometey)
* Ben Shungu ( Kalev/Cramo)
* Kregor Hermet ( Kalev/Cramo)
* Arnaldo Toro ( VEF Rīga)
* Ondřej Balvín ( BC Prometey)

## Statistics

As of 20 April 2024.

### Points

| Rank | Name | Team | PPG |
| 1. | Ishmael El-Amin | BK Ventspils | 20.0 |
| 2. | Artem Kovalov | KK Viimsi | 18.3 |
| 3. | Märt Rosenthal | Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits | 18.1 |
| 4. | Kasper Suurorg | TalTech/Optibet | 17.8 |
| 5. | Linards Jaunzems | BK Ventspils | 16.1 |

### Rebounds

| Rank | Name | Team | RPG |
| 1. | Arnaldo Toro | VEF Rīga | 12.1 |
| 2. | Kristaps Dārgais | BK Ogre | 9.8 |
| 3. | Artem Kovalov | KK Viimsi | 9.3 |
| 4. | Guntis Sīpoliņš | Valmiera Glass VIA | 8.6 |
| 5. | James Moore | Kalev/SNABB | 8.3 |

### Assists

| Rank | Name | Team | APG |
| 1. | Siim-Markus Post | Pärnu Sadam | 8.0 |
| 2. | Oliver Suurorg | KK Viimsi | 5.8 |
| 3. | Valters Briedis | Latvijas Universitāte | 5.4 |
| 4. | Jaizec Lottie | VEF Rīga | 5.3 |
| 5. | Rait-Riivo Laane | AVIS Utilitas Rapla | 5.2 |

## Clubs in European competitions

| Team | Competition | Progress |
| BC Prometey | EuroCup | Quarterfinals |
| VEF Rīga | Champions League | Regular season |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | Champions League | Qualifying |
| BC Kalev/Cramo | FIBA Europe Cup | Regular season |
| Pärnu Sadam | FIBA Europe Cup | Qualifying |