Arturs Ozols joins VEF Riga as Latvian basketball star; Valdis Kalniņš sets U‑20 handball scoring record

Arturs Ozols, the leader of Latvia's U‑20 basketball team at the recent European championship, will play for VEF Riga next season. In the tournament he ranked third in rebounding (7.9) and blocks (1.6) and averaged 7.3 points per game, earning a 14.9 efficiency rating, the ninth‑most productive player overall. VEF Riga’s roster for the upcoming season also includes Aigars Šķēle, Mareks Mejeris and other national and international players.

Handball prodigy Valdis Kalniņš, 18, also shone at the European U‑20 championship, scoring a record 104 goals across eight matches – the highest total ever recorded by the European Handball Federation for the competition. His tally eclipsed the runner‑up by 30 goals. Kalniņš was named to the tournament’s All‑Star team and is preparing for his first senior club season abroad.