Eight teams. Twenty games. Three days of international basketball. Teams from Denmark, Latvia, Ukraine, Estonia, Romania and Finland opened the EGBL U14 season in Kuremaa, Estonia, with games played on 25-27 September 2026. Vedmedi Novovolynsk won all five games to set the early standard, while two-point finishes and standout individual performances gave the opening stage plenty of memorable moments.
Every team played five games to begin its 2026/27 campaign. Across the weekend, the opening stage tested depth, consistency and teamwork, and gave players the chance to measure themselves against opponents from six countries.
Stage 1 standings
| Pos | Team | GP | L5 | W | L | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Vedmedi Novovolynsk | 5 | 5 | 0 | 136 | 10 | |
| 2 |  | ACS Dan Dacian CS Oxigen | 5 | 4 | 1 | 54 | 9 | |
| 3 |  | RBS Centrs 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 8 | |
| 4 |  | RBS Centrs | 5 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 7 | |
| 5 |  | BC Horsholm 79ers | 5 | 3 | 2 | 48 | 8 | |
| 6 |  | Tartu Ulikool KK | 5 | 1 | 4 | -159 | 6 | |
| 7 |  | Helsinki YMCA | 5 | 1 | 4 | -71 | 6 | |
| 8 |  | SC Audentes | 5 | 1 | 4 | -42 | 6 |
The story of the stage
Vedmedi Novovolynsk set the standard with five wins, averaging 64.2 points while conceding only 37.0 per game. Their last opponents, ACS Dan Dacian CS Oxigen, also arrived on Sunday unbeaten. Vedmedi won that meeting 58-38 to finish as the only team with a perfect record. Watch on EYBL.TV The Romanian side still left Kuremaa with four victories from five.
ACS had faced a much tighter test on Saturday, overcoming RBS Centrs 48-43 to keep their unbeaten run alive. Watch on EYBL.TV Centrs then found themselves in another close contest on Sunday: RBS Centrs 3 edged their Riga neighbours 56-54, finishing the stage with three wins. Watch on EYBL.TV Just seven points separated Centrs from two additional victories across those final two games.
The Riga meeting shared the smallest winning margin of the stage with Tartu Ulikool KK‘s 41-39 success against SC Audentes. Watch on EYBL.TV That result gave Tartu their only win of the weekend and ensured the Estonian teams produced one of Kuremaa’s closest contests.
Helsinki YMCA also saved a positive result for the final day, beating SC Audentes 53-43 to claim their first victory. Watch on EYBL.TV Together, those narrow finishes and first wins gave the opening stage plenty of stories beyond Vedmedi‘s unbeaten run.
MVP: Varvara Kirsanova
Varvara Kirsanova helped drive Vedmedi Novovolynsk to five wins with 16.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 5.0 steals per game. Her ability to contribute in attack and disrupt possessions defensively made her a central figure in the Ukrainian team’s perfect start.
MVP game by game
| Date | Opponent | Mins | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep | Tartu Ulikool KK | 15:43 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| 25 Sep | RBS Centrs | 24:28 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 26 Sep | BC Horsholm 79ers | 20:52 | 18 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| 26 Sep | RBS Centrs 3 | 12:00 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 Sep | ACS Dan Dacian CS Oxigen | 25:26 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
All-Star Five
- Evelina Dziliana Vildnere: 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game – RBS Centrs 3.
- Embla Mehlsen: 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game – BC Horsholm 79ers.
- Maria Baloi: 13.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game – ACS Dan Dacian CS Oxigen.
- Veronika Danylchuk: 12.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game – Vedmedi Novovolynsk.
- Sofija Baukerte: 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game – RBS Centrs.
1. Vedmedi Novovolynsk – Five wins, one clear standard
Vedmedi Novovolynsk completed a perfect opening stage with a 58-38 victory over ACS Dan Dacian CS Oxigen. Watch on EYBL.TV Their five wins came with 321 points scored and only 185 conceded, giving the Ukrainian side a +136 points difference. A balanced attack and consistent defensive results made them the team to catch in Kuremaa.
Top performers:
- Varvara Kirsanova: 16.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
- Veronika Danylchuk: 12.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
- Viktoria Kalchyk: 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
2. ACS Dan Dacian CS Oxigen – A strong Romanian challenge
ACS Dan Dacian CS Oxigen reached the final day unbeaten before Vedmedi ended their winning run, 58-38. Watch on EYBL.TV Four wins from five still made this a strong opening to their season. Sofia Voinea provided a major presence around the basket, while All-Star selection Maria Baloi gave the Romanian team another reliable scoring option.
Top performers:
- Sofia Voinea: 15.4 points, 14.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
- Maria Baloi: 13.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
- Sophia Achim Cernat: 5.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.
3. RBS Centrs 3 – A two-point finish to remember
RBS Centrs 3 closed their stage with a 56-54 victory over RBS Centrs, one of the closest games of the weekend. Watch on EYBL.TV Three wins from five placed them third in the official table. Evelina Dziliana Vildnere supplied the scoring punch and earned an All-Star Five selection after averaging more than 20 points.
Top performers:
- Evelina Dziliana Vildnere: 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
- Keita Grinberga: 7.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
- Annija Kravcenko: 6.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.
4. RBS Centrs – Competitive right to the finish
RBS Centrs closed with a narrow 54-56 defeat against RBS Centrs 3. Watch on EYBL.TV They finished 2-3, after also pushing the Romanian side in a close Saturday game. Sofija Baukerte earned All-Star recognition, while Tina Karle and Anna Karsuma added scoring and rebounding support.
Top performers:
- Sofija Baukerte: 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
- Tina Karle: 10.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
- Anna Karsuma: 7.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
5. BC Horsholm 79ers – Three wins and a convincing finish
BC Horsholm 79ers signed off with a 65-27 win over Tartu Ulikool KK. Watch on EYBL.TV The Danish team finished 3-2 with a +48 points difference. Filippa Krone Johansen led their scoring and rebounding, and All-Star guard Embla Mehlsen contributed across several areas of the game.
Top performers:
- Filippa Krone Johansen: 18.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
- Karla La Cour: 12.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
- Embla Mehlsen: 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
6. Tartu Ulikool KK – A narrow win to build on
Tartu Ulikool KK earned their victory in a tense 41-39 game against SC Audentes. Watch on EYBL.TV That two-point result was a valuable moment in a demanding 1-4 stage. Ronja Pruuli led the team on the boards, while Marta Molder helped connect the attack with 2.8 assists per game.
Top performers:
- Adele Aruoja: 6.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.
- Ronja Pruuli: 5.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
- Marta Molder: 5.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
7. Helsinki YMCA – A positive closing result
Helsinki YMCA finished with a 53-43 victory over SC Audentes to secure their first win. Watch on EYBL.TV The Finnish side left Kuremaa 1-4, with Aurea Sampo providing a steady scoring and rebounding foundation. The ten-point final-day success gave their opening stage a positive finish.
Top performers:
- Aurea Sampo: 11.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
- Enni Timisjarvi: 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
- Xinning Zhou: 6.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
8. SC Audentes – A win and two tight tests
SC Audentes beat Helsinki YMCA 51-35 on Saturday. Watch on EYBL.TV Helsinki took their return meeting on the final day. A separate two-point loss to Tartu underlined how close Audentes came to another win. Ariadna Pavliy led the scoring as the Estonian side completed the stage 1-4.
Top performers:
- Ariadna Pavliy: 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
- Darja Krivonos: 6.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.
- Sandra Rits: 4.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Thank you, Kuremaa
Thank you to Kuremaa for welcoming the teams, coaches and supporters. We appreciate the work of the local organisers and venue staff, together with the referees, table officials and volunteers who helped deliver the stage.
Our thanks also go to MyFitness, Dove, Cannelle Bakery and Wellteen for supporting girls’ basketball. Thank you to the families and supporters who followed the action in the arena and online.
Next stop: Valka
U14 Stage 2 takes place in Valka, Latvia, on 19-22 November 2026. The first results are in, and the teams now have their targets for the next meeting.