Already on Thursday, the Latvian national team will play in the 2023 World Cup qualifying match at Arena Riga, where it will face the Serbian national team.
“We’re ready to compete and show off our game. We’re having a hard time preparing, but our focus is on the next game. Now we have to go on the field and show our desire to win such a high-class team. I hope the players enjoy every minute tomorrow.”
Luka Banks on the upcoming Latvian national team game against Serbia
Only on Monday did the Latvian Basketball Union (LBS) announce that Artūrs Strautiņš, who was injured in the first test match against Lithuania, will not be able to help the national team in the upcoming qualifying games, but Jānis Bērziņš joined the national team, who just finished the season in the Greek championship.
“The situation with Artūrs Strautiņš is complicated because he will no longer be with the camp at this stage, and we had to make changes,” Banks said. “We added a player who became available at the last minute. Bērziņš joined the team on Sunday. We kept in touch with him during the last series.” Larisa was in the lead with 2-0, so we expected to be able to join us sooner. He proved that he has a great desire to help and participate in the Latvian national team. “
Banks indicated that
The absence of Rodionas Kurucs and Strautiņš in the team this time made the work of the coaches a bit more difficult, but the team has managed to adapt to the circumstances that arose.
“We have already proven that we are flexible enough. The most important thing is the team’s mental, physical, technical and tactical preparation for such an important match. Everyone must be ready to do everything on the field, because it doesn’t matter what position you have to play, but to show good basketball. “
The Latvian national team held two test matches against Lithuania in preparation for the match against Serbia. In the first of them, Latvian basketball players won with 70:52, but in the second, Lithuanians succeeded, destroying the Latvian national team with 98:62.
Banks avoided pointing to specific cases that were addressed after the loss against Lithuania, but pointed out that there were several.
“Both games helped,” the coach added. “In such a short preparation period, every moment matters. Organizing this preparation was quite difficult, because it is not easy to ask players to be here after the season at the club and train at the speed and intensity of the game. The second game was in a special environment. I talk about the arena It also gave us an opportunity to analyze what progress we have made so far and what we can improve on in the next step. “
In the first qualifying match against Serbia, Latvia failed, losing 100: 101. Banks pointed out that the Serbian national team will play physical basketball, which is an important element of their game.
“They have to expect the style of play that is recorded in their DNA, and this coach sends a clear message to players by choosing basketball players that match his style and identity. A high level of energy and aggression is expected, as well as a very physical game,” the coach said.
One of the stumbling blocks of the Latvian national team both in the match against Serbia and in the second game against the Lithuanian national team was too many personal notes,
and the Banks did not hide it either.
“We’re making notes, and that’s a problem,” he said. “I’m more worried about teams that don’t take notes because I don’t like teams that play ‘soft’. We’ve already proven that Latvia is not a ‘soft’ team.”
Rolands Šmits about preparing for the Latvian national team game against Serbia
After joining the Latvian men’s basketball team shortly before the upcoming matches, it was not difficult for Rolands Šmitts to join the team, a player of the Latvian national team said at a press conference on Wednesday. “I’ve had a lot of training and I’m feeling very good and ready for tomorrow’s game,” the basketball player said about the upcoming match.
Schmidt, who has played for the Spanish Premier League (ACB) in Barcelona for the last four seasons, helped the Latvian national team for the last time in 2019.
“Yes, it’s been quite a long time, but it wasn’t hard to get in. The season was over, I came right away,” Schmidt said. “I did the first training and I think that I have had no problems. I was sent material to look at before I joined the team, but, as you know, everything is better to see on the spot. the first day was great for me, but it went on. “
In the ranks of “Barcelona”, the basketball player is used in various positions, but for the most part he plays the role of the fourth number or power striker. He himself revealed that the national team is mostly played in the usual position.
The Latvian men’s basketball team will host Serbia in the World Cup qualifying cycle on June 30 at Arena Riga and will visit Slovakia on July 3.
