Eight teams. Twenty games. Three days of international basketball. Teams from Latvia, Ukraine, Sweden, Georgia and Italy opened the EGBL U17 season in Liepāja, Latvia, with games played from 18–20 September 2026. BC Frankivsk set the pace with five wins from five, while a one-point Riga derby, strong individual performances and a busy awards ceremony gave the opening stage plenty to remember.
The eight teams came together at Liepāja’s Olympic Centre to begin their 2026/27 campaign. Every team played five games, making this first meeting an early test of depth, consistency and teamwork.
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Stage 1 standings
| Pos. | Team | GP | L5 | W | L | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | BC Frankivsk | 5 | 5 | 0 | 293 | 10 | |
| 2 |  | RBS Centrs 2010 | 5 | 3 | 2 | -7 | 8 | |
| 3 |  | RBS Centrs 2011 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 80 | 9 | |
| 4 |  | Liepaja SSS | 5 | 2 | 3 | -85 | 7 | |
| 5 |  | RSS Ridzene | 5 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 8 | |
| 6 |  | Eastside Basket | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | |
| 7 |  | U16 Georgian team | 5 | 1 | 4 | -83 | 6 | |
| 8 |  | Napoli women basketball | 5 | 0 | 5 | -217 | 5 |
The stage in focus
Frankivsk’s unbeaten run was the clearest statement of the weekend: 476 points scored, 183 conceded and a +293 points difference. Their 95.2 points per game came with contributions throughout the roster. At the other end of the margin scale, RBS Centrs 2010 edged RBS Centrs 2011 by just one point—the closest result of the stage. Watch on EYBL.TV
MVP: Polina Bielientsova, BC Frankivsk
Polina Bielientsova earned the Stage 1 MVP award as Frankivsk completed a perfect opening weekend. In four appearances, she totalled 44 points, 36 rebounds and 15 assists—averages of 11.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Her contribution across scoring, rebounding and creation reflected the balance of the stage winners.
All-Star Five
- Roberta Locmele — Liepaja SSS: 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist.
- Keita Urmane — RSS Ridzene: 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists.
- Linnea Widbro — Eastside Basket: 18.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist.
- Nadine Graudina — RBS Centrs 2010: 22.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists.
- Eliza Grinberga — RBS Centrs 2011: 17.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists.
1. BC Frankivsk — five wins and the stage trophy
View photo album RBS Centrs 2010 – BC Frankivsk
Frankivsk finished unbeaten and took first place. Their attacking output was backed by a defence that allowed just 36.6 points per game. The Ukrainian side closed the stage with a 104–54 victory over RBS Centrs 2010, Watch on EYBL.TV completing a weekend in which they reached 100 points twice.
Top performers: Mariia Markiv averaged 19.8 points in four games; Daria Gordynska contributed 16.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. Mariia Luiza Dzihora added 12.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists, alongside MVP Bielientsova.
2. RBS Centrs 2010 — derby win and silver medals
View photo album RBS Centrs 2010 – BC Frankivsk
Centrs 2010 took second place in the official stage classification with a 3–2 record. Both defeats came against Frankivsk, while wins over Napoli, Ridzene and Centrs 2011 secured their place on the podium. The 70–69 victory over the younger Centrs side was the weekend’s tightest contest. Watch on EYBL.TV
Top performers: All-Star Nadine Graudina led the team with 22.2 points and 4.4 assists per game. Annija Gudina added 11.4 points, Madara Martuzane averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists, and Deina Galdina collected 8.8 rebounds per game.
3. RBS Centrs 2011 — four wins and bronze
View photo album Liepaja SSS – RBS Centrs
Centrs 2011 won four of their five games and finished third in the stage classification. Only the one-point derby defeat interrupted their winning run. Two victories against the hosts, including a 66–46 result on Sunday, Watch on EYBL.TV helped them finish with an impressive +80 points difference.
Top performers: Eliza Grinberga earned All-Star recognition with 17.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Ieva Markune supplied 11.4 points, while Magda Grasa Kuzika added 9.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
4. Liepaja SSS — two victories on home court
View photo album Liepaja SSS – RBS Centrs
The hosts finished fourth in the official classification with a 2–3 record. Liepaja opened with a 56–36 win over the Georgian team Watch on EYBL.TV and followed it with a hard-fought 61–57 success against Eastside Basket. Watch on EYBL.TV Those two results gave the home supporters plenty to celebrate on the opening day.
Top performers: All-Star Roberta Locmele averaged 16.4 points and 6.2 rebounds. Melanija Pane contributed 8.8 points and 2.4 assists, while Marija Versele averaged 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in four appearances.
5. RSS Ridzene — a winning record
View photo album Eastside Basket – Ridzene
Ridzene ended the stage with three victories and two defeats, placing fifth in the published table. After losses to Frankivsk and Centrs 2010, they finished strongly with wins over Georgia and Eastside. Sunday’s 52–39 result against Eastside completed a positive opening stage. Watch on EYBL.TV
Top performers: Ramona Bare led the scoring at 12.0 points per game. Liga Straudovska averaged 9.8 points and 10.2 rebounds, Alise Valdmane added 9.2 points, and All-Star Keita Urmane provided 7.4 points and 2.6 assists.
6. Eastside Basket — Widbro leads the scoring
View photo album Eastside Basket – Ridzene
The Swedish side collected victories against Georgia Watch on EYBL.TV and Napoli Watch on EYBL.TV and finished 2–3. Their +7 points difference reflected a competitive weekend, with the four-point loss to Liepaja among their closest games. Eastside will have useful experience to build on when the teams meet again.
Top performers: All-Star Linnea Widbro averaged 18.2 points and 4.8 rebounds. Niella Olsson led the team on the boards with 10.8 rebounds per game, Ella Olsson added 7.8 rebounds and Teodora Punos contributed 7.6 points.
7. U16 Georgian team — a winning finish
View photo album Napoli – U16 Georgia
The Georgian team completed their Liepaja visit with a 39–30 victory over Napoli on the final day. Watch on EYBL.TV It was their first win of the stage after four defeats, giving them a positive result to take into the next part of the season.
Top performers: Ana Mgebrishvili averaged 18.0 points and 6.4 rebounds across five games. Natia Chkhitunidze contributed 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in four appearances, while Ana Endeladze averaged 3.4 points and 3.6 rebounds.
8. Napoli women basketball — experience to take forward
View photo album Napoli – U16 Georgia
Napoli finished 0–5 after a demanding first stage. Their closest result came on Sunday against Georgia, when a nine-point margin separated the teams. Watch on EYBL.TV Five international games offered the Italian squad a clear reference point for the work ahead.
Top performers: Rosanna Fiorentino led Napoli with 7.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Nevia Borrelli averaged 4.5 points in four games, while Sara Spinosa added 4.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist.
Thank you, Liepaja
Thank you to Liepāja for welcoming the EGBL U17 teams and supporters. We appreciate the work of Liepaja SSS, the local organisers and the Olympic Centre staff, together with the referees, table officials and everyone who helped deliver three days of international girls’ basketball.
Our thanks also go to MyFitness, Dove, Cannelle Bakery and Wellteen, whose support was recognised in the official stage awards. Thank you to the coaches, families and supporters who followed the teams in the arena and online.
Next stop: Riga
Stage 2 takes place in Riga on 12–15 November 2026. After Liepāja’s opening games, the teams now have their first results—and their first targets—for the next stage.