VEF Riga faces its Eurocup debut season ready to live up to its tradition of great Latvian players and winning mentality. Since its re-foundation in 2007, VEF has quickly become a top team in its country and is ready to prove it. The club announced that its team structure in 2010-11 would feature a mix elite Latvian players, foreigners and young talents, all coached by 2009 Eurocup winner Rimas Kurtinaitis. VEF has been loyal to its own policy, putting together a competitive roster ready to battle hard all around the continent. Sandis Valters will be the team's starting playmaker. He is a good scorer, deadly in crunch time due to his character and free throw accuracy, and has great feel for steals in defense because of his intensity and size. Dairis Bertans is a combo guard with unlimited range and great talent. Bertans improved his defense last season to match his one-on-one skills, as he is a good slasher able to create his own shot. Kristaps Janicenoks in back in Latvia to prove he is a great scorer. At age 27, Janicenoks is at the prime of his career and will be VEF's scoring leader and go-to guy. Gatis Jahovics is an outstanding defensive stopper with size, intensity and aggresiveness. He has a great chance to prove that severe injuries belong to his past. Patrick Sanders is a strong, athletic forward with good timing for rebounds and blocks. He is also a good scorer ready to help the team in many ways. Up-and-coming forward Martins Laksa may see extended playing time to fulfil his potential. Kaspars Berzins will see most minutes at center due to his size, mobility and deep range. He needs to play with a good rebounder to give his best and VEF found one in Tyler Cain. An old-school big man who always gives his best in defense, Cain will power the boards, block shots and offer post skills. Artsiom Parakhouski may shock some people with his athleticism, power and rebounding skills. Ivan Nelyubov and Andrejs Selakovs are back to complete the team's big man rotation. Just as last season and despite having a new coach, expect VEF to play fast-paced, entertaining basketball, as the team gets ready to prove it is not an usual Eurocup newcomer.

Despite being a virtually unknown team to most young European basketball fans in Europe, VEF Riga has been one of the best Latvian clubs since its founding in 1958. Some of the best players in Latvian history, such as Valdis Valters, Igor and Raimons Miglieniks, Gundars Vetra, Karlis Muiznieks, Ainars Bagatskis, Janis Krumins, Cezars Ozere, Bruno Drake or Juris Kalnins have played for VEF from 1958 until the club disappeared in 1992. Back in the 1950s, Latvia was a reference in Soviet and European basketball but VEF finished third in the 1960 Soviet Union League. The lack of a second continental club competition, however, prevented VEF from proving its value against teams all around Europe. Krumins, the most dominant player in Europe for many years, decided to finish his legendary career at VEF, joining the club in 1964. VEF was third in its domestic competition - for the second time in club history - in 1966. The club, however, went down to the Soviet second division in 1969. VEF returned to the first division in 1970 only to fall back to the second a year later. Several years of obscurity followed but an 18-year-old point guard joined the first team in 1975 to change VEF's history forever, none other than Valters. VEF went back to the Soviet elite in 1978 and kept its name in the competition until the country broke up in the early nineties. He led the team to be fifth in the Soviet Union League in 1985 and to rank sixth in 1987 and 1988. Despite a third-place finish in the 1991 Soviet League, VEF ceased to compete at the highest level in 1992. The club was re-founded in 2007 with Valters as the head coach of his alma mater and it all paid off right away, as VEF Riga made it to the Baltic League second division title game in 2008 and 2009, earning the right to join the first division in 2009-10. Last season, VEF made it to the Baltic League Quarterfinals and the Latvian League title series, losing 4-3 against Barons. VEF looks to a brighter future, as the club gets ready for its Eurocup debut.

Gatis Jahovics

PROVISIONAL ROSTER Gatis Jahovics F 200 Sandis Valters G 193 Kaspars Berzins C 213 Ivan Nelubov C 207 Martins Laksa F 200 Patrick Sanders F 198 Martins Gulbis G 194 Tyler Cain F 203 Andrejs Shelakovs C 210 Dairis Bertans G 192 Artsiom Parahovski C 211 Kristaps Janicenoks G 196 Coach: Rimas Kurtinaitis