Tenax Secures Playoff Spot in Baltic Handball League
Teh Dobele “Tenax” handball team clinched a playoff berth in the Baltic Handball League on Sunday with a decisive 42:34 victory over “Tapa”. This win propelled the Latvian squad to sixth place in the tournament standings,securing their spot in the quarterfinals.
Leading the charge for “Tenax” was Richard Juzups, who netted nine goals. Nikita Panchenko contributed seven accurate shots, while Oskars arājs added six goals to the team’s tally. On the opposing side, Marten Saar and Vahur Olup each scored nine goals for “tapa”.
Meanwhile, Ludza’s “Latgols” concluded their Baltic League campaign with a 27:38 loss against Rāsiku “Mistra” on the road. linards Usāns, Guntars Lipskis, Renārs grebenņikovs, and Daniels Mikijanskis each scored six goals for “Latgols”.
The final regular season standings saw “Tenax” finish sixth with 27 points from 24 games.”Ogre” / “Hydrox” secured the tenth position with 16 points, while “Latgols” ended the season in last place with two points.
The top two teams,Viljandi and Põlva’s “serviti”,automatically advanced to the Final Four tournament. The remaining four playoff spots will be contested by the other qualifying teams.
This season, the baltic Handball League features 13 teams, with five representatives each from Estonia and Lithuania, and three from Latvia. Notable Estonian teams include “Tapa”, “Viljandi”, Rāsiku “Mistra”, “Kehra”, and Põlva “Serviti”. Lithuania is represented by Alytus “Varsa – Stronglasa”, Kaunas “Granitas – Karys”, klaipėda “Dragunas”, Vilnius “Šviesa”, and “Vilnius”. Latvia’s participants are the reigning Latvian champions,Dobele “Tenax”,”Ogre” / “Hydrox”,and Ludza “Latgols”.Interestingly, Riga “Celtnieks”, one of Latvia’s leading handball teams, opted out of participating in any tournaments this season.Last season’s Baltic Handball League champions, Klaipėda’s “Dragunas”, triumphed over Vilnius “Švieša” in the final. however, Latvian teams – Dobele “Tenax”, Riga “Celtnieks”, “Ogre”, and Ludza “Latgols” – were forced to withdraw from the league due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Tenax on Track: An interview with Handball Legend Aigars Cipmanis
Welcome back, handball fans! Today, we’re joined by a true Latvian handball legend, Aigars Cipmanis, who knows the Baltic Handball League inside and out. Aigars, thanks for joining us.
Aigars: It’s my pleasure. Handball is my passion, and I’m always happy to discuss it.
Moderator: There was a lot of excitement this weekend with tenax securing their playoff spot with a convincing win against Tapa. Nine goals from Richard Juzups – that’s a performance! What impressed you most about Tenax’s game?
Aigars: I was particularly impressed with Tenax’s defensive intensity. Tapa has some serious scoring threats like Marten Saar and Vahur Olup, but Tenax shut them down effectively. Their defense created many fast-break opportunities, which Juzups and Panchenko capitalized on beautifully.
Moderator: Absolutely. Tenax finishing sixth with 27 points is a solid achievement. Do you think thay have a real shot at making a deep playoff run?
Aigars: It won’t be easy, but I wouldn’t count them out.
They’ll need to bring their A-game against the top teams. serviti and Viljandi are the favorites, but anything can happen in a playoff series.
Moderator: It sounds like you’re optimistic about Tenax’s chances. What about the future of Latvian handball in the Baltic League? The recent withdrawal of riga Celtnieks from the league is a concern.
Aigars: It’s definitely a setback. Celtnieks was a strong team that added depth to the Latvian contingent. I understand their reasons, but it highlights the need for stronger support for handball in Latvia.
We need to prioritize developing young talent and ensuring our clubs have the resources they need to compete at the highest level.
Moderator: Well said. We need to nurture the next generation of Latvian handball stars.Thanks for shedding light on that, Aigars. Now, shifting gears to the broader league, what are your takeaways from this season so far? We saw Klaipėda’s Dragunas, the reigning champions, struggling.
Aigars: This season has been full of surprises. dragunas definitely haven’t been as dominant as last year, and other teams like Tapa and Mistra have stepped up their game.
It shows how competitive the Baltic League has become, which is great for the sport.’
Moderator: It’s definitely making for an exciting season. Aigars, thanks for sharing your insights with us today.
Aigars: My pleasure. I look forward to seeing how the playoffs unfold.
Moderator: We all do! Now, let’s open it up to our readers.What are your thoughts on Tenax’s performance? Do you agree with Aigars’ assessment of Latvian handball’s future? Share your opinions in the comments below!
