JELGAVA, Latvia — The real contenders have begun to emerge as the BBL reaches the business end of the season and moves towards the playoffs.

The jumbled Baltic Basketball League table has settled out with all teams having now played between [private_supervisor]15 and 17 regular season matches. With just ten games remaining, some teams can already begin to prepare for the playoffs whilst other can turn their focus to domestic challenges.

Lithuanian powerhouses Žalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas are unsurprisingly sitting on top of the table and will more than likely cruise through the semi-finals to meet in the final, such is their dominance over basketball in this part of the world.

Close behind are countrymen Šiauliai, who have shown they can cause the odd upset, having handed Lietuvos Rytas their only defeat in BBL this season.

Leading the charge outside of Lithuania are Ventspils, whose youthful line-up have shown experience and maturity beyond their years to help earn the team the label of “team of the future.”

VEF Riga will be hoping to make it two Latvian teams in the play-offs, currently sitting just inside the cut-off in sixth spot.

Their biggest threat comes from Estonians Kalev/Cramo who are sitting on their tails and will be hoping that it is Estonia that has two teams in the playoffs. Rock is sitting comfortably in fifth place.

VEF Riga arguably have the tougher task, needing to overcome Lietuvos Rytas (March 10) and the unpredictable Nevėžis (March 13) away from home whilst Kalev/Cramo will be targeting their game against the lowly Liepājas Lauvas (March 12) as a must win. They will also be hoping to pull-off a small upset ind defeating Ventspils the following evening.

As for the remaining teams, Nevėžis and Liepājas Lauvas will be left to fight over the wooden spoon, with neither of their seasons ever really getting up and running.

Valmiera are destined to miss the playoffs and will be left looking back at a season of “what ifs” with their inability to close out games ultimately being their downfall. A record of 5-11 does not properly do this team justice with three of their losses being by less than three points against much more fancied opponents. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]15 and 17 regular season matches. With just ten games remaining, some teams can already begin to prepare for the playoffs whilst other can turn their focus to domestic challenges.

Lithuanian powerhouses Žalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas are unsurprisingly sitting on top of the table and will more than likely cruise through the semi-finals to meet in the final, such is their dominance over basketball in this part of the world.

Close behind are countrymen Šiauliai, who have shown they can cause the odd upset, having handed Lietuvos Rytas their only defeat in BBL this season.

Leading the charge outside of Lithuania are Ventspils, whose youthful line-up have shown experience and maturity beyond their years to help earn the team the label of “team of the future.”

VEF Riga will be hoping to make it two Latvian teams in the play-offs, currently sitting just inside the cut-off in sixth spot.

Their biggest threat comes from Estonians Kalev/Cramo who are sitting on their tails and will be hoping that it is Estonia that has two teams in the playoffs. Rock is sitting comfortably in fifth place.

VEF Riga arguably have the tougher task, needing to overcome Lietuvos Rytas (March 10) and the unpredictable Nevėžis (March 13) away from home whilst Kalev/Cramo will be targeting their game against the lowly Liepājas Lauvas (March 12) as a must win. They will also be hoping to pull-off a small upset ind defeating Ventspils the following evening.

As for the remaining teams, Nevėžis and Liepājas Lauvas will be left to fight over the wooden spoon, with neither of their seasons ever really getting up and running.

Valmiera are destined to miss the playoffs and will be left looking back at a season of “what ifs” with their inability to close out games ultimately being their downfall. A record of 5-11 does not properly do this team justice with three of their losses being by less than three points against much more fancied opponents.[/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]15 and 17 regular season matches. With just ten games remaining, some teams can already begin to prepare for the playoffs whilst other can turn their focus to domestic challenges.

Lithuanian powerhouses Žalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas are unsurprisingly sitting on top of the table and will more than likely cruise through the semi-finals to meet in the final, such is their dominance over basketball in this part of the world.

Close behind are countrymen Šiauliai, who have shown they can cause the odd upset, having handed Lietuvos Rytas their only defeat in BBL this season.

Leading the charge outside of Lithuania are Ventspils, whose youthful line-up have shown experience and maturity beyond their years to help earn the team the label of “team of the future.”

VEF Riga will be hoping to make it two Latvian teams in the play-offs, currently sitting just inside the cut-off in sixth spot.

Their biggest threat comes from Estonians Kalev/Cramo who are sitting on their tails and will be hoping that it is Estonia that has two teams in the playoffs. Rock is sitting comfortably in fifth place.

VEF Riga arguably have the tougher task, needing to overcome Lietuvos Rytas (March 10) and the unpredictable Nevėžis (March 13) away from home whilst Kalev/Cramo will be targeting their game against the lowly Liepājas Lauvas (March 12) as a must win. They will also be hoping to pull-off a small upset ind defeating Ventspils the following evening.

As for the remaining teams, Nevėžis and Liepājas Lauvas will be left to fight over the wooden spoon, with neither of their seasons ever really getting up and running.

Valmiera are destined to miss the playoffs and will be left looking back at a season of “what ifs” with their inability to close out games ultimately being their downfall. A record of 5-11 does not properly do this team justice with three of their losses being by less than three points against much more fancied opponents.[/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]15 and 17 regular season matches. With just ten games remaining, some teams can already begin to prepare for the playoffs whilst other can turn their focus to domestic challenges.

Lithuanian powerhouses Žalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas are unsurprisingly sitting on top of the table and will more than likely cruise through the semi-finals to meet in the final, such is their dominance over basketball in this part of the world.

Close behind are countrymen Šiauliai, who have shown they can cause the odd upset, having handed Lietuvos Rytas their only defeat in BBL this season.

Leading the charge outside of Lithuania are Ventspils, whose youthful line-up have shown experience and maturity beyond their years to help earn the team the label of “team of the future.”

VEF Riga will be hoping to make it two Latvian teams in the play-offs, currently sitting just inside the cut-off in sixth spot.

Their biggest threat comes from Estonians Kalev/Cramo who are sitting on their tails and will be hoping that it is Estonia that has two teams in the playoffs. Rock is sitting comfortably in fifth place.

VEF Riga arguably have the tougher task, needing to overcome Lietuvos Rytas (March 10) and the unpredictable Nevėžis (March 13) away from home whilst Kalev/Cramo will be targeting their game against the lowly Liepājas Lauvas (March 12) as a must win. They will also be hoping to pull-off a small upset ind defeating Ventspils the following evening.

As for the remaining teams, Nevėžis and Liepājas Lauvas will be left to fight over the wooden spoon, with neither of their seasons ever really getting up and running.

Valmiera are destined to miss the playoffs and will be left looking back at a season of “what ifs” with their inability to close out games ultimately being their downfall. A record of 5-11 does not properly do this team justice with three of their losses being by less than three points against much more fancied opponents.[/private_subscription 1 year]

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