Rīgas Zeļļi

Rīgas Zeļļi
NicknameZeļļi
LeaguesLatvian–Estonian Basketball League
Latvian Basketball League
Founded2023
LocationRiga, Latvia
Team colorsrose un purple
   
PresidentEdgars Buļs
General managerArtūrs Šēnhofs
Head coachJuris Umbraško
Websiterigaszelli.lv

Rīgas Zeļļi is Latvian professional basketball team that is based in Riga, Latvia. It was founded in the summer of 2023.[1]

History

News of the planned team began appearing in April 2023 with Kristaps Janičenoks voicing support for their inclusion in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League.[2] The team was intended as a privately financed club with key sponsors including Riga Technical University, Betsafe, Sportland, Dienas Bizness, Sporta Avīze, and Cēsu pilsētas sporta skola identified.[2]

On July 13, 2023, it was announced that a new team named Rīgas Zeļļi will take part in Latvian-Estonian Basketball League, Latvian Basketball League and Latvian Basketball Cup. Its president is sports manager Edgars Buļs and former player Artūrs Šēnhofs is taking the role of a general manager. Previously, both worked together as hosts of a basketball show "Ūdenszeļļi" on television.

Club offers everyone to become its member by donating money, in return having a word in teams' decisions. It has also created a mobile app for a team to communicate with teams' management. It presents itself as the most innovative sports organizations in Latvia.[3]

On July 14, 2023, it was announced that the head coach of the team will be Juris Umbraško.[4]

On September 19, Andris Biedriņš, the first Latvian basketball player ever drafted in the NBA, joined the club as its ambassador.[5]

On September 30, 2023, Zeļļi played the first official game in a team's history beating Keila Coolbet in Arena Riga.[6]

The first foreign player signed by Zeļļi was Georgian forward George Natsvlishvili.[7] After the start of debut season Rīgas Zeļļi signed an American point guard Nigel Johnson.[8] Later he was replaced by Canadian shooting guard Isiah Osborne.[9]

On January 20, 2024, Rīgas Zeļļi announced that the team was joined by Aleksandrs Samoilovs, a two-time European silver medalist in Beach volleyball.[10] It was meant to be a marketing campaign and he actually played in only one game, scoring two points against KK Viimsi.[11]

On February 29, 2024, Rīgas Zeļļi signed a long-standing center of the Latvian national team Mārtiņš Meiers until the end of the season.[12] 10 days later team also signed Australian center Jordan Hunter.[13]

Players

Current roster

Rīgas Zeļļi roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
PG 1 Juris Vītols 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 79 kg (174 lb) 19 – (2005-07-29)29 July 2005
PG 3 Toms Skuja 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 85 kg (187 lb) 23 – (2002-01-02)2 January 2002
C 7 Krišs Helmanis 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 23 – (2002-04-07)7 April 2002
SG 8 Roberts Bērziņš 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 93 kg (205 lb) 24 – (2001-01-10)10 January 2001
G 10 Rolands Šulcs 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 19 – (2006-01-06)6 January 2006
PF 12 Kristers Skrinda 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 19 – (2006-03-12)12 March 2006
C 14 Zigmārs Raimo 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 106 kg (234 lb) 27 – (1997-11-14)14 November 1997
SG 15 Uģis Pinete (C) 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 94 kg (207 lb) 34 – (1991-02-15)15 February 1991
SG 17 Dans Galdiņš 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 21 – (2004-07-01)1 July 2004
G 20 Robert Ford III 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 82 kg (181 lb) 25 – (1999-10-25)25 October 1999
PF 22 Francis Lācis 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 26 – (1999-02-22)22 February 1999
PF 24 Rolands Freimanis 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 108 kg (238 lb) 37 – (1988-01-21)21 January 1988
SF 32 Dāvids Vīksne 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 24 – (2000-12-05)5 December 2000
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Dāvis Čoders
  • Oskars Zurkovs
  • Mārtiņš Fomins
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured
Updated: March 31, 2025

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Krišs Helmanis Rolands Freimanis
PF Zigmārs Raimo Francis Lācis Kristers Skrinda
SF Dāvids Vīksne Uģis Pinete Dans Galdiņš
SG Roberts Bērziņš Rolands Šulcs
PG Toms Skuja Robert Ford III Juris Vītols

Honours

Runners-up (1): 2024
Bronze (1): 2025
Runners-up (1): 2024
Runners-up (1): 2025

Season by season

Season Tier Division Pos. Latvian Cup Regional competitions European competitions
2023–24 1 LBL Runner-up Runner-up Estonian-Latvian Basketball League 6th
2024–25 1 LBL Bronze Semifinal Estonian-Latvian Basketball League Runner-up

References

  1. ^ "Team profile". September 13, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Janičenoks: ja 'Rīgas Zeļļu' projekts būs sakārtots, tad jāļauj viņiem spēlēt LIBL". www.delfi.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  3. ^ "Par un ap komandas izveidi | "Rīgas Zeļļi" podkāsts EP. 1". 28 September 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
  4. ^ "Debitanti "Rīgas Zeļļi" ar galveno treneri Umbraško paraksta trīs gadu līgumu". Sportacentrs.com. July 14, 2023.
  5. ^ Andris Biedriņš atgriežas basketbolā, kļūstot par "Rīgas Zeļļu" biedru un vēstnesi
  6. ^ "Results". www.estlatbl.com.
  7. ^ Official announcement on Rīgas Zeļļi Instagram account
  8. ^ 'Rīgas Zeļļi' pēc Skujas savainojuma piesaista amerikāni Džonsonu
  9. ^ "Rīgas Zeļļi" veic izmaiņas sastāvā – pievienojas Osborns, komandu atstāj Džonsons
  10. ^ "Zeļļi" nolūko papildinājumu: Samoilovs debitēs profesionālajā basketbolā
  11. ^ Box Score
  12. ^ Ilggadējais Latvijas izlases centrs pastiprina “Rīgas Zeļļu” groza apakšu
  13. ^ Kings centre Jordi Hunter has signed a short-term deal in Latvia
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