Preview of Bulgarian NBL Basketball: Shumen at Levski Sofia

SOFIA, Bulgaria (Interstat) — A matchup of struggling teams seeking to escape the league cellar will take place Saturday when Shumen visits Levski Sofia in a Bulgarian National Basketball League contest at Universiada Hall.

Both teams enter the game with identical 3-22 records across all competitions this season, making this a critical opportunity for either squad to secure a rare victory and build momentum for the final stretch of the campaign.

The visiting Shumen will rely on the hot hand of guard Will Ellis, who is coming off a career performance. In a 105-100 overtime loss at Akademic Plovdiv on Monday, Ellis played 42 minutes and scored a game-high 32 points while adding six assists. Over his last five games, he is averaging 16.4 points and 5.0 assists per contest, serving as the primary offensive engine for Shumen.

Levski Sofia will counter with forward Andon Vachev, who has provided a scoring lift in recent outings. Vachev tallied 16 points and five rebounds in a 99-67 loss to Balkan on Monday, following a 17-point effort against Euroins Cherno More on March 24. His interior presence will be key for the home side.

The season series is split 1-1. Levski Sofia won the first meeting 93-80 at home on Nov. 17, 2025, but Shumen claimed the most recent clash 77-72 on Feb. 20, 2026, behind a balanced scoring effort.

Both teams are mired in extended losing streaks. Shumen has dropped nine consecutive games since their Feb. 20 win over Levski, though they pushed their last opponent to overtime. Levski Sofia’s losing skid stands at seven games, with their last victory also being that Jan. 31 home win over Beroe Stara Zagora.

With nearly mirror-image records and recent history, Saturday’s game presents a chance for one team to find a fleeting moment of success in a difficult season. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday evening at Universiada Hall in Sofia.