The Board of the Latvian Basketball Union (LBS) has approved Raimonds Feldmans as the head coach of the Latvian 3 × 3 men’s basketball team, informs LBS.
The list of selected candidates and the work plan developed by the LBS 3 × 3 commission, which is aimed at creating a development-friendly environment, have also been approved.
The participants of the Latvian national team – Agnis Čavars, Edgars Krūmiņš, Kārlis Lasmanis, Nauris Miezis and Artūrs Strēlnieks – have resumed preparations for the Tokyo Olympic qualifying tournament in Austria at the end of May after winning the World Tour final in December and a short vacation. The preparation plan will be updated when the schedule of tournaments organized by FIBA is known.
The Board of LBS approved the extended list of candidates for the Latvian 3 × 3 basketball team prepared by the 3 × 3 commission, which in addition to the A players also includes the Latvian Olympic team (LOV) B members Artūrs Strēlnieks, Armands Ginters, Roberts Pāže, Armands Senkāns and Mārtiņš Šteinbergs, as also 12 players from the teams that won the highest places in the Latvian 3 × 3 basketball championship (“Top Gun” league) in the summer of 2020 and have confirmed their wish to participate in the 3 × 3 basketball program.
LBS President Raimonds Vējonis notes that the season priority for the Latvian national team A is to fight for the Olympic road sign.
“The whole 3 × 3 basketball environment should work to help them, including providing the necessary sparring in training. In the long run, LBS must take care that our leaders grow with decent offspring and that the entire 3 × 3 basketball environment promotes development, ”LBS quotes Vējonis.
The work plan developed by the LBS 3 × 3 commission and approved by the board envisages that in February and March the basketball players included in the extended list of candidates for the Latvian national team will gather three times for short training camps and tests, as well as mini-tournaments. The participation of the A team will depend on their preparation plan and the FIBA competition calendar.
It has been agreed with the leadership of the LOV and the Latvian Olympic Committee that on April 1, the list of basketball players included in the LOV B will be adjusted, taking into account the results achieved in the work cycles of the national team candidates.
The Board of LBS also approved Dāvis Feikners as the physical fitness coach of the Latvian 3 × 3 basketball team.
The teammate Feldmanis has worked as a coach at BJBS “Rīga” / ”Rīdzene”, business school “Turība”, “VEF school”, “VEF Rīga” and trained the new generation at the basketball school “Rīga”. He has also led the Latvian youth national team and worked for the National Basketball Association (NBA) Summer League in the New Orleans Pelicans team.
The candidates for the Latvian 3 × 3 men’s basketball team in 2021 are Nauris Miezis, Kārlis Lasmanis, Agnis Čavars, Edgars Krūmiņš (all – LOV A team), Artūrs Strēlnieks, Armands Ginters, Armands Senankans, Mārtiņš Šteinbergs, Roberts Pāže (all – LOV composition), Kārlis Apsītis, Lauris Bērziņš, Rendijs Feikners, Elvijs Frīdenbergs, Dāvis Gūtmanis, Artūrs Kramiņš, Edgars Lācis, Daniels Minajevs, Reinis Otersons, Reinis Ščerbinskis, Toms Upe, Niks Višņevičs.
