VEF Riga - AEK Betsson BC Game Preview & How to Watch
- → Game to take place at the Xiaomi Arena, Riga on Tuesday, 7 October 2025 at 18:00 Local Time (EEST)
- → Form check: VEF blasted Keila 122–74 in their Lat-Est opener as Kristaps Ķilps led a balanced scoring night; AEK edged Kolossos on Rhodes 87–85 to start the Greek league on the road.
- → Context: Group F tips with AEK’s seasoned, deep rotation visiting a retooled, youthful VEF that wants to turn home energy into a statement win.
- → AEK BC secured wins in both of last year's meetings with the Latvian champions.
YOUNG LEGS VS OLD GOLD: The Queen's season starts in Riga
VEF RIGA
Martiņš Gulbis has doubled down on pace, depth and homegrown continuity. The plan is simple: keep the ball hot and the floor spaced, then ask multiple handlers to create the first paint touch rather than leaning on a single star.
Captain Dairis Bertāns still sets the compass with off-ball gravity and late-clock answers, but the usage can swing game to game.
The frontcourt upgrade is real over last season: Arnaldo Toro Barea returns as a glass-and-screens hub, while Rostyslav Novitskyi adds size that runs. Expect five-out looks with Bertāns ghosting into threes, plus plenty of early drag screens to force switches and attack AEK’s weak links in space.
AEK BC
Dragan Sakota brings the familiar AEK blend of size, know-how and poise in late game. The backcourt is deeper: Lukas Lekavičius organizes and hits pocket windows, Prentiss Hubb lifts the pace and shot volume, while Dimitris Flionis guards up a position.
On the wings, Frank Bartley IV and new signing Adonis Arms give downhill punch; up front, RaiQuan Gray is the matchup problem - too strong for wings, too shifty for traditional bigs. The center rotation of Marko Pecarski and Chris Silva mixes touch with vertical athleticism, and Mindaugas Kuzminskas still stretches a defense at the 4.
AEK will try to quiet the building by owning the possession game: bodies on the glass, early fouls drawn, half-court execution that hunts VEF’s youngest defenders. If they keep VEF out of transition and win the set-piece chess, the visitors’ experience travels.
HOW TO WATCH VEF RIGA VS AEK ATHENS
Stream VEF Riga vs AEK Athens FREE with a Plus account on Courtside 1891. Regional availability and blackouts may apply.
