{"id":513140,"date":"2026-09-02T11:01:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T09:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/?p=513140"},"modified":"2026-09-02T11:01:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T09:01:18","slug":"rigas-zelli-sign-ukrainian-forward-ivan-tkachenko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/rigas-zelli-sign-ukrainian-forward-ivan-tkachenko\/","title":{"rendered":"R\u012bgas Ze\u013c\u013ci sign Ukrainian forward Ivan Tkachenko"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"0\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"34bd7314-a187-463d-a5ff-b4b6409656e8\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-6\" data-turn-start-message=\"true\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling\">\n<h3 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-section-id=\"duqi3n\" data-start=\"211\" data-end=\"240\">Tkachenko returns to Riga<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"242\" data-end=\"387\">R\u012bgas Ze\u013c\u013ci have strengthened their roster for the new season with the signing of <strong data-start=\"324\" data-end=\"386\">29-year-old Ukrainian national team forward Ivan Tkachenko<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"389\" data-end=\"546\">The 197 cm forward returns to a Latvian basketball scene he knows well, having spent two seasons with <strong data-start=\"491\" data-end=\"503\">Prometey<\/strong> when the Ukrainian club was based in Riga.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"548\" data-end=\"711\">During his time with Prometey, Tkachenko became a <strong data-start=\"598\" data-end=\"654\">two-time Latvian-Estonian Basketball League champion<\/strong> and also played in European competition for two seasons.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DcxwOoesf1v\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">Visualizza questo post su Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DcxwOoesf1v\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Un post condiviso da R\u012bgas Ze\u013c\u013ci (@rigaszelli)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1i9gyve\" data-start=\"713\" data-end=\"763\">Kondratiavi\u010dus: \u201cHe fits our system very well\u201d<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"765\" data-end=\"873\">R\u012bgas Ze\u013c\u013ci head coach <strong data-start=\"788\" data-end=\"812\">Rokas Kondratiavi\u010dus<\/strong> highlighted Tkachenko&#8217;s versatility and defensive abilities.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"875\" data-end=\"1161\">\n<p data-start=\"877\" data-end=\"1161\">\u201cIvan is a player with a lot of experience in European basketball. He is athletic and physical, can defend the opposing team&#8217;s best players, and also has a good shot. He fits our playing system very well, where we want to be aggressive on defense and play fast basketball on offense.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1h65cos\" data-start=\"1163\" data-end=\"1199\">Skuja&#8217;s injury changed the plans<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1201\" data-end=\"1336\">R\u012bgas Ze\u013c\u013ci president <strong data-start=\"1223\" data-end=\"1238\">Edgars Bu\u013cs<\/strong> explained that the injury suffered by <strong data-start=\"1277\" data-end=\"1291\">Toms Skuja<\/strong> led the club to reconsider its roster plans.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"1338\" data-end=\"1571\">\n<p data-start=\"1340\" data-end=\"1571\">\u201cAlthough we had finished our active roster construction, Toms Skuja&#8217;s injury changed our plans slightly. Together with the coaches, we watched several games of the Ukrainian national team, and we liked what we saw from Tkachenko.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"1573\" data-end=\"1696\">Bu\u013cs added that Tkachenko had expressed his desire to remain in Riga, allowing the two sides to reach an agreement quickly.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1698\" data-end=\"1977\">The club is also pleased with his ability to play <strong data-start=\"1748\" data-end=\"1816\">multiple positions and contribute significantly without the ball<\/strong>. In domestic competitions, Tkachenko is classified as a <strong data-start=\"1873\" data-end=\"1891\">Latvian player<\/strong>, which could prove important when the team reaches the decisive stages of the season.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"13sdbol\" data-start=\"1979\" data-end=\"2015\">Tkachenko: \u201cTime to get to work\u201d<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2017\" data-end=\"2104\">The Ukrainian forward is excited about starting the next chapter of his career in Riga.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"2106\" data-end=\"2407\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\n<p data-start=\"2108\" data-end=\"2407\" data-is-last-node=\"\">\u201cI am very happy to start a new chapter in my career with R\u012bgas Ze\u013c\u013ci! I am grateful for the opportunity to represent this club and can&#8217;t wait to start working with my new teammates, coaches and everyone else in the organization. I am looking forward to a great season in Riga. Time to get to work!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"pointer-events-none -mb-px h-px w-full opacity-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 29-year-old Ukrainian national team forward returns to Latvian basketball after spending two seasons with Prometey, when the club was based in Riga.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145,"featured_media":513139,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_spbk_hide_featured":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[197,269],"tags":[],"rumors":[407],"typology":[185,15727],"posizionamento":[],"class_list":["post-513140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eurocup","category-latvia","rumors-basket-rumors","typology-official","typology-press-release-en"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2026-09-02-alle-11.00.05.png","digistream_id":0,"digistream":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/513140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/145"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=513140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/513140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/513139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=513140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=513140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=513140"},{"taxonomy":"rumors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rumors?post=513140"},{"taxonomy":"typology","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/typology?post=513140"},{"taxonomy":"posizionamento","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posizionamento?post=513140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}