LULEÅ, Sweden (Interstat) — BC Luleå will aim to move above .500 when it hosts winless Sloga Uppsala on Friday at Lulea Energi Arena in Luleå, Sweden.

BC Luleå enters 1-1 after a road loss at Jämtland, 96-87. Jalen Leach led the way with 25 points, five rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes. Tuburu Naivalurua added 18 points and five rebounds, while Robert Holmes finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, one assist and one block. Earlier this season, BC Luleå beat Koping Stars 95-91. Leach scored 27 points with four rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes in that victory. He is the player to watch for BC Luleå, with his scoring and playmaking central to the team’s attack.

Sloga Uppsala is 0-2 and still seeking its first win. The team enters after a home loss to Uppsala, 89-76. Kj Debrick produced 19 points, nine rebounds and one block in 17 minutes. Milutin Vujicic added 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Marko Dujkovic had 16 points, eight rebounds and one block. Earlier this season, Sloga Uppsala lost at Södertälje 89-67. Debrick had eight points, four rebounds and one block in 13 minutes in that game. He remains the player to watch for Sloga Uppsala, especially with his ability to score inside and help on the boards.

The game offers Sloga Uppsala a chance to break into the win column and BC Luleå an opportunity to establish momentum early in the season. BC Luleå’s home floor and recent offensive production make it a difficult matchup, while Sloga Uppsala will need a strong effort from Debrick and better balance around him. Both teams have shown they can score, but consistency on defense and rebounding could decide the pace and flow. For Sloga Uppsala, limiting Leach’s touches and second-chance opportunities will be important. For BC Luleå, controlling the interior and avoiding long scoring droughts will be key.

Debrick has been efficient in limited minutes, while Leach has been one of the league’s top early scorers. Vujicic’s all-around game and Dujkovic’s interior scoring give Sloga Uppsala options, but the team has yet to put together a complete performance. BC Luleå has relied on Leach and Holmes for much of its offense, and Naivalurua has provided valuable support.

Sloga Uppsala will host Koping and Norrköping in its next two home games. BC Luleå will visit Borås before hosting KFUM Nässjö. Both teams will then continue a busy league schedule as they look to build positioning in the standings.

Interstat’s game simulator projects BC Luleå to beat Sloga Uppsala 88-82.