By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Maris Gulbis has signed with VEF Riga for the next season, the team announced. The Latvian club also secured the services of Jalen Riley for the 2021-22 season.
Gulbis, 35, will be back for a second stint at VEF Riga. He will also return to the Basketball Champions League after his 2018-19 run as a member of Ventspils and his participation in the 2019 qualifiers with the same team.
The experienced Latvian forward spent most of the past ten years at Ventspils. Earlier in his career, from 2007 to 2009, he became part of the rebuilding VEF Riga squad alongside several more young and talented players.
Riley, 28, is set for his BCL debut. The East Tennessee State alumni averaged 20.3 points per game with Porto last season. He previously played in France for Cholet, Lithuania, Iceland, and Slovakia.
Prior to the additions, VEF Riga retained Alexander Madsen, Kristers Zoriks, Artis Ate, and Emils Krumins from the 2020-21 squad.
The Latvian team is scheduled to face AEK, Falco Szombathely, and one more team jumping out of the qualifiers in Group D of the upcoming Champions League Regular Season.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League