On Sunday, in the tournament dedicated to the centenary of Estonian basketball “Baltijas ceļš”, the Latvian men’s basketball team gave way to the home team of Estonians with 67:84, and in the three-team tournament, the overcrowded team ranked third in the three-team competition.
Latvia was never in the lead in the match, reaching the biggest cons (64:84) 28 seconds before the end of the game.
The most productive in the Latvian national team was Artūrs Ausējs, who scored 18 points, realizing all seven throws in the game – five three-pointers and one two-point and one free throw. He also has three assists, two rebounds, four personal notes, two provocative notes and the best efficiency ratio of 19, but shares the worst +/- score with Edgar Lasenberg.
14 points and six rebounds for Artjomas Butjankovs, eight points for Artis Atem, but the team captain Kaspars Bērziņš also won four rebounds without four points, as well as accumulated five personal notes and five provoked notes.
Henri Drells scored 16 points, 15 points and eight rebounds – Sime Sanders Vene, but ten points, five rebounds and seven provoked remarks for Janari Joesar.
It has already been reported that Estonia beat Lithuania 92:85 in the first overtime match of the Tallinn tournament, while on Saturday the Lithuanians beat Latvia 82:59.
Eight players in the Latvian national team play their first games in the national team. 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.
The series of failures for Latvians has stretched for six matches, with three losses in the test tournament against Tunisia (twice) and Croatia following two painful losses in the European Championship qualifiers against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Bulgaria.
Since 2008, the two national teams have met each other five times before today’s match, in three of which Latvia celebrated its victory. The most important success was in 2015, when Latvians celebrated the victory in the European Championship group tournament with 75:64.
Since the beginning of June, members and candidates of the Latvian men’s national team have been training at the Elektrum Olympic Center in preparation for the next season. The choice of line-up for the Tallinn tournament was influenced by the players’ commitment to clubs, their health and their individual preparation plans.
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 “Milk Stars”, Lithuania), Artūrs Ausējs (Ekaterinburg “Ural”, Russia), Andris Misters (“Melilla”, Spain), Kristaps Gluditis (“Ventspils”);
attackers – Kristaps Dārgais (“Ogre”), Artjoms Butjankovs (“Samara”, Russia), Mārcis Šteinbergs (Gran Canaria “Herbalife-2”, Spain), Edvards Mežulis (“University of Latvia”);
Center players – Kārlis Šiliņš (Florida Atlantic University, NCAA, USA), Kaspars Bērziņš (“Ogre”).
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