In the second game of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) “Challengers” tournament, the Latvian U18 basketball team on Wednesday acknowledged the superiority of its Czech peers. The Czech national team won in the Turkish city of Konya with a score of 78:42 (20:13, 21: 6, 21:11, 30:11)
Both teams started the first quarter similarly, until in the 2nd minute Dans Uvis Galdiņš scored 5: 3 in favor of the Latvian national team with an accurate long shot. This result was maintained for the next two and a half minutes, but then the young Czech basketball players reached and took the lead. Although the Latvian players were able to restore the balance of the result, in the last three quarters of the minute the Czech players with three accurate long shots took a convincing lead with 20:13.
In the rest of the game, the Czechs continued to increase the difference. Although the Latvian players also had successful moments and opportunities, it was not enough to be able to catch opponents. In particular, the Latvian team did not succeed in the implementation of long shots, as well as the number of errors for which free throws were awarded, the Latvian team had almost twice as many (28 against 15). Valters Briedis was the most productive in the Latvian national team with seven points, but Pēteris Pinne and Markuss Lastinš scored five points, while Ondrejs Hustaks and Matejs Safariks scored 13 points in favor of the Czech Republic, and Ondrejs Svecs scored 12 points.
U18 juniors (2003/2004) led by Pēteris Ozoliņš will participate in a group C tournament in Konja, Turkey, until August 8, where the Latvian team will play with Russian, Turkish, Slovenian, Polish and Czech teams. Latvian young basketball players have to play with the Czech national team on Wednesday, with the Russian national team on Thursday, with the Turkish national team of U18 basketball on Saturday and on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Russia defeated the Czech Republic with 66:48 and Turkey defeated Poland with 81:74. On Wednesday, Slovenia beat Turkey by 74:67, while Poland was ahead of Russia by 77:61. After two days of play, the leader of group C is Slovenia with six points, followed by Poland, Turkey, Russia and the Czech Republic with three points, but Latvia with two points takes the last place in the tournament table.
Due to the constraints caused by the pandemic, the Board of the International Basketball Federation’s European Zone (FIBAEurope) canceled the 2021 European Youth Championships. In order to ensure the practice of games, an informal competition series is organized – FIBA “Challengers”. In the U18 age group, the 18 best teams in the European ranking table were divided into three top six. Tournaments take place in Skopje, Northern Macedonia, Tel Aviv, Israel and Konya, Turkey. The best teams in each tournament will receive prizes, the results will not affect the countries’ positions in the official FIBA youth team ranking.
The LBS Coaches Commission considered the participation of Latvian teams in five FIBA “Challengers” tournaments to be purposeful. The U20 men’s team was not entered, as some of the candidates are already included in professional clubs and some participated in the U19 World Cup.
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