BlueStar Media has something exciting booked into its global plans during coming months and that is its first ever trip to the Finals of the European Girls Basketball League [EGBL]. Our choice will be to watch the U13 Finals which will take place across four days, specifically May 03-06. (Photos: EYBL)

The destination is Riga, the capital of Latvia and very much the heart of the organization that was founded back in 2000 shortly after the Sydney Olympics. Originally the Eastern European Girls Basketball League, it was rebranded during 2014 and is still focused on club teams/sporting clubs rather than national teams.

Throughout its existence, it has been a breeding ground for future top level players and if you take a snapshot from say a decade ago and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, there were multiple players who had all been chanelled through this competition. They included Elina Dikeoulakou [nee Babkina] and Aija Putnina of Latvia, along with Viktoriya Hasper and Anastasiya Verameyenka of Belarus.

With the legendary women’s basketball star Uljiana Semjonova as Honary President, the EGBL has went from strength to strength. The best teams from 6 countries took part in 2000 and now the levels and scope of competition has multiplied considerably, with new nations such as Norway entering for the first time recently.

Some of the best girls teams from 17 countries [Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Slovakia , Netherlands, Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, Russia ,Italy ,Belgium, Luxembourg, Serbia , Czech Republic and Latvia] have entered this year across the different age groups.

U12 [2006] – 8 teams
U13 [2005] – 16 teams
U15 [2003/04] – 32 teams
U17 [2001-2002] – 24 teams
U19 [1999-2000] – 8 teams

For the competition we are focusing on this year which is the U13 Finals [2005] the 16 teams that started the Regular Season were as follows:

Group A
Basketball school Riga/Jugla Riga , Latvia
Basketball club Teiwaz-Bagira Kiev , Ukraina
Basketball school Riga/Ridzene Riga , Latvia
Basketball club SBS Ostrava Ostrava , Czech Republic

Group B
Basketball Academy Tallinn Kalev Tallinn , Estonia
Liepaja Basketball school Liepaja , Latvia
Basketball club Star Tallinn , Estonia
West-Coast All Stars Turku , Finland

Group C
Sport club Audentes Tallinn , Estonia
Basketball club Tapiolan Honka Espoo , Finland
Rapla basketball school Rapla , Estonia
School 221 St.Petersburg , Russia

Group D
SDJSOR Nr.7 Prinemanie Grodno , Belarus
Basketball club TJ Slovan Litomerice , Czech Republic
Basketball school Riga/TTP Riga , Latvia
Pomerania 2005 Gdansk , Poland

They play in stages during the Regular Season, with the top teams making it to the Finals.

Stages

I 09-12.11.2017 Tallinn , Estonia B+C
I 09-12.11.2017 Riga , Latvia A + D
II 25-28.01.2018 Liepaja , Latvia B + D
II 25-28.01.2018 Ostrava , Czech Republik A + C
III 15-18.03.2018 Czluchow, Poland C + D
III 01-04.03.2018 Tallinn , Estonia B + A
Final 03-06.05.2018 Riga/Jugla Riga , Latvia

The objectives of the EGBL are clear and include the development of children, facilitating the preparation of high level basketball players, promoting basketball in EGBL participant countries, provision of mutual exchange experiences in sports and more.

Some more interesting points around the EGBL are:

• Each club is under responsibility to organize a stage (domestic) of EYBL once in two seasons, but recommended no further than 1000 kilometers from center of EYBL, i.e. Riga.
• All expenses on organization, accommodation of participants and meals shall be covered by organizers of the stage. Travel expenses are covered by the guest team.
• Each team is allowed to declare two players, that are one year older than the age group, if this players birthday is on December 1st or later, in U19 group of age – one team can declare one player that is born no in year 1998.
• Teams are allowed to declare new players and players may change the team for another one during the season up to 28th of February year 2018.
• Teams play with each other for 4 x 8 minutes (additional time 4 minutes).
• Age groups U12 and U13 plays play with a Size 5 basketball.
• One team can apply no more than 20 players for the competition in all season time, indicating year of birth, height, player’s number, participation in the club (for non-players).
• Each team pays a season participation fee 300 € EUR [300 $] for covering clerical and organizational expenses of EGBL. Each team transfers to the EGBL bank account 4000 € EUR, [5,000$] which is approximately half of the amount needed for one stage organization, if the team has hosted a home stage during the season then the money is hold in league as a participation fee for next season.
• Each team pays a guarantee deposit (for the participation of the team in EGBL) before the begging of the season the beginning of the first round – 1000 € EUR , [1250 $] which is returned to the club, if the team has executed the rules .

So, there you have it. Some essential background and come May, we will be bringing you what matters most – a full tournament review!

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