PARMA Opens With Win In Riga

PARMA Opens With Win In Riga

PARMA Russia defeated VEF Latvia on the road, 80-76 (28-18, 16-20, 21-19, 15-19).

Top Scorers
VEF: Arturs Ausejs (17), Artis Ate (14), Vincent Council (14 + 6 ast), Steve Zack (10 + 7 reb), Andrejs Grazulis (8 + 11 reb + 3 stl)

PARMA: Tyler Larson (18 + 6 reb + 7 ast + 5 stl), Janis Blums (16), Rashard Kelly (15 + 11 reb), Michael Humphrey (6 + 12 reb)

Story
Janis Blums ended VEF’s comeback hopes with a pair of free throws in the final seconds as the Siberian visitors escaped from the Latvian capital with a win.

The Latvian sniper dropped 16 on his former club, while Tyler Larson stuffed the box score with 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists and five steals, recording a rare 4×5.

The Russians led most of the game, jumping out to a 28-18 lead at the end of the 1st quarter. VEF never quit, roaring back from an eight-point deficit to open the 4th and tie the game at 72-72.

But Blums drained a clutch triple to put PARMA on top for good, 75-72, with just over two minutes to go.

VEF had chances down the stretch, but a handful of missed free throws and turnovers doomed the home team in the end.

PARMA improves to 1-0, while VEF drops to 0-2.

Stat
55 – VEF’s free-throw percentage. Riga missed eight from the line, including three in the final minutes. 

Block Party

Star
Janis Blums. The veteran reminded the Riga fans of his deadly three-point shot. Blums went 4-6 from beyond the arc, including the go-ahead triple. He led PARMA’s bench in scoring with 16 points as the Russian reserves outscored their counterparts, 44-20. 

Photos

10/10/2018 VEF-PARMA 76:80

Up Next
VEF: October 20 away vs. Lokomotiv-Kuban
PARMA: October 14 away vs. Enisey