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RS Round 2:
Monday, May 8th, 2026
BC Eos | 114 - 90 | BC Rajaleidjad
(138830272)

A well-played Estonian derby against BCR, who have been notoriously good on the inside. Our latest addition T.Noorhani was able to stabilize our defense and really challenge the inside powers M. Veetõusme and co from the opposition side. Ü.Paabo had a massive game for us, scoring 38 points and whipping in 7 out of 9 threes, with E.Karu and L.Rannala adding further 25 and 17 points respectively. We were the better side, when it comes to scoring from the field and we also dominated the rebounding matchup, winning by 49-30 rebounds, which probably initiated our victory in the first place. Good game, Trailblazer, and good luck with the rest of the season!

Wagner wrote:
In my opinion this was one of the most impressive performances as of late demars (especially in terms of pre-game expectations), 4 point loss against still totally undefeated VPO from any other than, say, top3-teams is an excellent achievement, and makes me wonder if this is going to be your best HGL Season ever!

SventraCanestri wrote:
I want to say it now, but I already wrote it at the end of last season: my reign is unfortunately over.
My team is rebuilding, and I won't win the HGL this year. So the defeat isn't a surprise.

The real miracle came last season, where I won despite a third-place salary, if I remember correctly.
This season is even worse in terms of salaries, as my team has declined, while others have improved.

My winning prediction is KKS, which literally surprised me more than any other team last season.

I'm happy to leave the victory to someone else: being the best team and not having to lose a single match puts a lot of pressure, even if it's just a game :)

It's also so that you've many times predicted someone to beat you, yet nobody has even until this day managed to do so - few teams have been close though, for example KKS losing by 2 and now ED losing by 4.

And you've been an underdog in salaries on many Seasons (if my memory serves me, you haven't been #1 in HGL Top8-salaries in any of the Seasons - I could be mistaken though as I didn't check that out now), and for example Svätý Jur Snakers had about/almost the double top8-salary (at least in one given Season) compared to your team, yet you handled them somewhat comfortably each and every time.

So while I often like to make educated guesses/predictions based on Top8-salaries (and in many cases they prove to be accurate enough), in your case I've come to conclusion that it's best to give that only certain "weight" in your success predictions.

(To give another example on salaries, on Season 4 on the other hand, HB was I think 5th in top8-salaries, but were unable to reach Playoffs, so salary is useful predictor only to some extent).

I can only imagine (but easily do believe) that it does create lots of pressure, to have that kind of winning streak...

But even if your team has already entered to rebuilding stage (as you said it has), the "depth of the dip" (in terms of performance/success level during the rebuilding process) and how long rebuilding stage will last is not as easily predictable to rest of us, as you have tendency to sell and re-buy lots of players (and let them train them elsewhere) which makes it possible change your roster even dramatically in rather short period of time.

As mentioned in the latest Salary Benefit-post about your team status:
"21 players/Purchased players (own draftees): 11
(52,4% of all players; re-purchased players take up 58,9% of VPO's total top8 salaries)".

So this probably gives you possibility to shorten and/or lessen "the success dip" due to rebuilding stage, if you so choose to (given that your players elsewhere have been trained at least somewhat to your liking).

Anyway, you're right that many teams have now taken leap in salaries and it's bigger challenge for you than ever. However, you certanly don't have the advantage of (winning by) anyone taking your team lightly... :D

Last edited by Wagner at 5/9/2026 11:47:15 AM

My winning prediction is KKS, which literally surprised me more than any other team last season.

You believe more in my team than I do :)

Somehow Rajdersi always win in matchup between our teams, so if I had to bet, I would put my money on them.

I will probably manage with this squad's salaries for this season, but if I don't promote to the first league at the end I will have to sell either Kavazović or Bukva (or my two older guards), and then rebuilding begins.

But either way, thank you for putting pressure on my team, there's no doubt we will manage to screw at the end somehow :D

Edit: While replying to you, I just noticed one of my old guards had a drop of 3 levels in Jump Shot (from 15 to 12) :O so he's on the Transfer List immediately :D

League tables after RS Round 2 have been updated.

Team, on which neck success pressures have been poured by VPO in his previous message - KK Stihija - is still at the very top of the HGL league table, after having no difficulties taking care of my team yesterday (by 28 points).

You´re correct in your statement (as far as your success against RAJ), and it's been interesting to see in the previous Seasons that in some cases you've been able to challenge VPO better than RAJ has, but then on the other hand RAJ has been very strong against you.

It'll be very interesting to see how this rivalry (between you, RAJ and VPO) will develop during Season 5, and what other teams that have strengthened will add to the puzzle/rivalry!
Maybe selling of your 3rd highest salary player takes you back to some extent, as he recorded in highest level league Bosna i Hercegovina Prva Liga BiH 12,5 points and 4,5 assists/game. Plus, as we all know about KKS being one of the top2 defending teams in HGL (in many defence efficiency team stats), all his talents are not directly showcased in his seasons' offensive end scorecard, meaning that he's also been an effective lock in a defensive end.

What a disappointing drop of 3 Pihija, sorry for that for you!
While this is off-topic to some extent, I think such drops are nothing but ridiculous in nature (and needless to say, shouldn't exist in my opinion).
(Yes, I'm perfectly aware it could maybe/possibly mean a drop from 15,01 to 12,99, but still opinion stands).

But on the other hand, to me it appears that your teams' success and strengths certainly doesn't lie on his shoulders alone, as your 5th most expensive player still gets $49K/week after exit of your 3rd most expensive player soon.


Last edited by Wagner at 5/9/2026 11:44:05 AM

Season 5, RS Round 1:
Monday, May 4th, 2026
Wagner College vs. Lielupes Melnās Sirdis 80-105
(138830137)

To open a Season with strong LMS side is like knowing you're a big, big underdog, whatever you do (at least in my case). It did once again prove too big of a hurdle for me to overcome, LMS leading already by 25 at the half and game practically being over at that point (given the quality found from LMS's roster). Their duo of Skuck&Jaunkamps scored as many as 66 points, while my whole team was able to gather together 80 points. Having not been able to restrict them to lower than 50,6% FG accuracy made sure points from this Season 5 league opener are traveling to Latvia


Season 5, RS Round 2:
Friday, May 8th, 2026
Wagner College vs. KK Stihija 83-115
(138830191)

Second match of RS, being played in Switzerland, brought home the second loss of the young Season 5 for me, dropping me to 17th in the league table.
As usual, KKS's defense (and offense as well, to be honest with you) was way too much for me to handle.
Quite ironically, KKS chose an outside defense (1-3-1), and was still able to restrict my starting C and PF to combined FG shooting of 6/33 (18,2%). Zero (0) steals for me and 17-4 win in blocks for KKS made sure there wasn't a real fight for W in any part of the game really. Good luck for the rest of the Season Pihija (even though to be fair, I'd need that more) :D

Having started season with 10/46 3 pointers (21,7%!) isn't really helpful for me either, but let's see if that'll change to a better in the future, or maybe not. Being about 20 points below my Season 4 scoring average is also disappointing, however, it's also about who you play against, so I guess that'll equalize to some extent after I'll meet opponents at my skill level. Maybe it'll also help slightly in forthcoming weeks against coming opponents, as my injured player (Sorvoja) will return to the lineup, at least when he'll get his game shape up a notch.


Last edited by Wagner at 5/9/2026 12:12:56 PM

You can count Aleksijević as sold already, since offer was made for him and he's good as gone.

I'm not sure if we're supposed to report all transfers or only top 8, but I sold my draftee from this year also, Kosta Karić.

Added one new player trough draft, Milorad Georgijev.

Now I have 7 HOF potential players on roster, I really leared how to scout well :D

You can count Aleksijević as sold already, since offer was made for him and he's good as gone.

I'm not sure if we're supposed to report all transfers or only top 8, but I sold my draftee from this year also, Kosta Karić.

Added one new player trough draft, Milorad Georgijev.

Now I have 7 HOF potential players on roster, I really leared how to scout well :D

I noticed he has offer on him, but didn't state his name as previously we had problem on HGL Thread, as message was removed because that was considered by BB-Staff as "player advertising" as one manager reported of future sales when the player sale was still open.

Wow, that surely is quite admirable achievement with those HOF's... I'd also like to know what's your secret. :D

@ all HGL managers: All transfers need to be reported so that I can update top8-salaries and add sold, re-purchased and fired players to HGL transfers-post (and consider them more easily in seasonal Salary Benefit-post), thank you.:)

I had even more HOFers in past, that I sold.

(50810780) (43624723) (50810805)

Had many MVPs too.

My draft tactic is this: first I spend 10 points on Group demonstration where every 1 and 2 stars players are scouted. Among them, there are usually 5 to 10 five star prospects. I scout them all (5 star prospects, to be clear), and then I just scout from the beginning and continue until the draft day, scouting every 5 star prospect twice. I always spend every point.

I invest 10 k weekly, so 3 scouting points per week.

I always put 5 star potential players at the top, no matter which other attributes they have, are they 18 or 19 YO, how tall they are etc. I manage to get HOFer or MVP potential players often that way.

Last edited by Pihija at 5/10/2026 2:59:32 PM