Latvia with 59:82 (12:23, 15:26, 19:10, 13:23) gave in to Lithuania, which had lost to the Estonians the day before.
The most productive in the Latvian national team with 22 points was Captain Kaspars Bērziņš, who fired five of the nine long shots. Edgars Lasenbergs and Andris Misters added nine more points, who also won six balls under the baskets.
In the Lithuanian national team 19 points and five rebounds for Marius Grigonis, while 13 points were added by Lauris Birutis, and another 12 by Mareks Blazevičs. He also had nine rebounds at his expense.
The beginning of the first quarter was started more successfully by the Lithuanians, who initially gained a five-point advantage (6: 1), but after an accurate free throw the advantage increased to +6. Shortly afterwards, the Latvian national team was represented in the square by debutants, who mostly did not allow to grow. The team captain Kaspars Bērziņš returned to the field four minutes to the end of the quarter and reached 6: 9 with a long shot.
About three minutes before the end of the first ten minutes, the Lithuanians began to withdraw (6:15), but the first quarter ended with a result of 12:23. The Latvian national team sent only four of the 18 litters in the basket.
In the second half of the first half, the Latvians were unable to clear the majority of their opponents, which was prevented by most mistakes and inaccurate throws around the basket. Three minutes before the end of the half, the Lithuanians were already in the lead with 41:24. A minute later Andris Misters took a long shot (27:43), but shortly afterwards an error in the attack followed and the Lithuanians made a long shot with the second attempt. The first half ended in favor of the Lithuanians – 49:27.
The Latvian national team started more actively in the second half and played in a rather disciplined way, which soon reduced the difference to -20. After about three and a half minutes, Bērziņš went to the basket, which was accurate, but then the realized “penalty” reduced the difference to -17 (35:52).
Towards the end of the third third, the Latvians had already approached -12 (42:54). Kristaps Dargas had the opportunity to reduce the difference to -10, but both of his “penalties” were inaccurate. In the second half of the field, the Latvian national team stopped the Lithuanians, but Edgars Lasenbergs’ long two-point throw already reached 46:54.
In the first four minutes of the final quarter, the Lithuanians made a strike – 11: 5 (68:49). Further, the performance of the Latvian national team did not improve dramatically, but the Lithuanians did not gain much more. About three minutes before the end of the game, Bērziņš threw two long shots with a small time difference, but it was not enough to lose with a smaller point difference.
On Sunday at 7.30 pm, the Latvian state unit will meet with Estonian hosts.
The Latvian national team included eight debutants for this tournament. Most of the debutants have previously been the leaders of Latvian youth teams, but only Kaspars Bērziņš has more experience in the adult team. Artis Ate, Artūrs Ausējs and Artjoms Butjankovs have also played some matches in the national team.
Meanwhile, Lithuanians could rely on several experienced men, starting with Mantas Kalnietis, Luka Lekavičs and Edgars Ulanovs.
Lithuanians have played the last games with varying degrees of success, with victories alternating with losses. Meanwhile, a series of failures for Latvians has stretched for three matches, two painful losses in the qualifying tournament of the European Championship against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Bulgaria, now a convincing failure in the “Baltic Way” tournament against Lithuania.
Since 2001, the teams have met seven times, celebrating victories in the first and last two. Lithuanians in particular remember the 76:94 failure in the eighth final of the European Championship in 2001.
Members and candidates of the Latvian men’s national team have been training at the “Elektrum” Olympic Center since the beginning of June, preparing for the next season. The choice of line-up for the Tallinn tournament was influenced by the players’ commitment to clubs, health status and individual preparation plans.
It has already been reported that Estonia beat Lithuania with 92:85 in the first match of the Tallinn tournament.
The Lithuanian basketball team has three sets of European gold medals in 1937, 1939 and 2003, and three Olympic bronze medals (in 1992, 1996 and 2000). and the 2010 World Cup bronze.
Latvia is the first European champion in the 1935 competition, while the highest achievement of the Estonian national team is the fifth place in the European Championship in 1937 in Riga and in 1939 in Kaunas.
Uvis Helmanis, Raimonds Feldmanis and Oskars Ernšteins assist the national team head coach Štelmaher.
Composition of the Latvian national team for the “Baltic Way” tournament:
guards – Artis Ate (“VEF Rīga”), Edmunds Elksnis (“Valmiera Glass” / “Vidzeme University College”), Edgars Lasenbergs (Pasvāle “Pienovaigždės”, Lithuania), Artūrs Ausējs (Ekaterinburg “Ural”, Russia), Andris Misters (“Melilla”, Spain), Kristaps Gluditis (“Ventspils”);
attackers – Kristaps Dārgais (“Ogre”), Artyom Butyankov (“Samara”, Russia), Marcis Steinbergs (Herbalife-2 “Gran Canaria, Spain), Edvards Mezulis (” University of Latvia “);
center players – Kārlis Šiliņš (Florida Atlantic University, NCAA, USA), Kaspars Bērziņš (“Ogre”).
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