The Latvian national team beat their peers from Iran by 58:48 (15:17, 8:12, 11: 9, 24:10) in the Group B game at the Daugavpils Olympic Center.
Kristians Feierbergs was the most productive in the Latvian national team with 17 points and eight rebounds, ten points to Richard Daniel Vanags, while Rhodie Machoha stood out with nine points and 12 balls under the baskets.
In the Iranian national team, Parsam Falaham had 16 points and six rebounds, while Ali Shahrjari stood out with 12 points and five bombs under the baskets.
After just over a minute, Toms Skuja revealed the result with a long shot. In the next two minutes, the Latvians did not lead with the accuracy of the shots, but Krišs Helmanis’ persistent actions under the basket again allowed them to gain control (5: 4). Almost to the middle of the quarter, the teams still scored one point (8: 7), Christian Feierberg increased the lead with a “hook throw” slightly – 10: 7.
The Iranians quickly equalized the result, but a moment later the home team was again in the lead with a three-point lead. In the last three minutes of the quarter, the Latvian national team scored two points, while the Iranians responded with seven.
In the second quarter, the Latvians played too passively in defense and did not break the rules for a long time, which was also emphasized by the head coach Nikolajs Mazurs in one of the minute breaks. In the first two and a half minutes, the Latvian national team did not score, but Iran had already gained a bigger advantage – 24:15. Rhodie Machoha regained two points and then actively played at the bottom of the opponent’s basket, but many mistakes and inaccurate shots prevented him from breaking down.
Four minutes to the end of the half, the home team was still driven by -9 (17:26), but Machoha’s four points in a row and Captain Christian Schulz’s long shot allowed them to approach -6 (23:29). At the end of the quarter, Schulz failed to realize another “third”.
In the introduction of the third quarter, the Latvian national team made a 6: 1 rebound, while Feierberg’s long shot after less than four minutes already put the home team in the lead – 32:20. In the continuation of the quarter, both teams made frequent mistakes and were unable to score points for a long time. As the last two minutes approached, the Iranian team managed two successful attacks, giving the lead 37:32. About a minute and a half before the end of the quarter, Mohamadhadi Lakzaeifard received a technical note about the rendering, but the home team did not use this opportunity to even out the result.
Richard Daniel Vanags took a long shot from the corner of the field at the very end of the quarter, halving the six-point deficit – 35:38.
Skuja intercepted the ball at the beginning of the last quarter and shortly afterwards it was delivered to Feierberg, who took a long shot. After about two minutes of playing, the basketball player threw another “threesome” and put Latvia in the lead – 41:40. Skuja added three more points in the middle of the quarter, giving the home team a nine-point lead of 51:42 for the first time.
The rest of the time the Latvians actively played in the defense, forcing their opponents to make mistakes, while on the other side of the field they improved the percentage of sales. About two minutes before the end of regular time, Machoha and Feierberg each threw the basket (58:44), followed by several mistakes in the attack, but this did not prevent the match from “breaking” Iran and celebrating its first success in the World Cup.
Puerto Rico and Serbia will also meet in Group B on Sunday.
The Latvian national team with one victory in two matches is currently the leader of Group B, success in the only match for Serbia and Puerto Rico, but two losses for Iran.
The Latvian national team, led by Nikolai Mazur, lost to its peers from Puerto Rico on Saturday, sowing the 15-point lead in the third quarter – 75:79.
Krišs Helmanis, who plays in Spain, is also considered to be the potential leader of the Latvian national team, but the duties of the captain of the national team have been entrusted to Kristiāns Šulcs.
Meanwhile, Iran gave way to Serbia with 67:88.
The cancellation of major international tournaments in 2020 disrupted the traditional practice of winning tickets to the World U-19 Cup in European, American, Asian / Oceanian and African championships. This time, 15 teams were selected based on the countries’ positions in the ranking of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Latvia earned the opportunity to start in the tournament thanks to the status of hosts.
The Latvian U-19 national team is playing in the World Cup for the fourth time. In 1999, he won the 9th place, two years later the state unit ranked lower, while in 2019 he had to settle for the 12th place. Three years ago, at the European Cadet Championship, the team of boys born in 2002 took eighth place.
In the meantime, this is the sixth start for Iran in this forum. The highest place – 13th – was won in 2013. The Iranians did not qualify for the previous tournament, but in 2017 they took 15th place.
The Serbian national team’s favorite honor belongs to the group, while the Iranian U-19 team played in the national adult championship last season.
The importance of the first two games is very important, considering the prospects in the quarterfinals, where you will have to play with a team from Group A, where the favorite are the Canadian and Lithuanian U-19 teams. The Japanese and especially Senegalese U-19 teams are not weak either, however, when they meet them, the chances of overcoming the eighth final barrier would be higher.
On July 6, the Latvian national team will meet with Serbia. This and also the eighth final match will be broadcast live on TV6.
Only spectators who have an interoperable Covid-19 or Covid-19 vaccination certificate recognized in Latvia (applies to all ages) will be able to attend the games in person. Tickets can be purchased on the website basket.lv.
The exclusion tournament will take place from Friday to Sunday in Riga at the Olympic Sports Center and “Arena Riga”.
Latvia also hosted the World U-19 Cup in 2011, when the tournament took place in Riga, Valmiera and Liepaja.
In 2011, the young Lithuanian basketball players won in Latvia, but Jons Valančūns was recognized as the most valuable player of the tournament. Well-known players such as Dāvis Bertāns, Mateušs Ponitka, Rauls Netu, Kevin Pangoss, Dario Šaričs, Dags Makdermots, Tims Hardevejs junior, Jeremy Lembs, Jānis Timma and others took part in the tournament.
Composition of the Latvian U-19 national team for participation in the World Cup:
Krišs Helmanis (“Prat”, Spain), Dāvis Denafs (“Ogre”), Kristians Feierbergs (BJBS “Rīga” / DSN), Richard Kļanskis (“Orlandina”, Italy), Rhodie Machoha (Fuenlavrad “Urbas”, Spain), Richard Debtor (“Ogre”), Tom Skuja (Santantoni “Ibiza Feeling”, Spain), Christian Schulz (“Ventspils”), Richard Daniel Vanags (“Riga” / “A. Kraukļa VEF BS”), Noa Viljamsons (“Latvia University “), Valters Briedis (” University of Latvia “), Noels Enrijs Slivackis (” Riga “/ DSN -” VEF “basketball academy in Valka).
Others are currently reading
Cocaine story and shamanic ritual – Sandy Semyonov’s stunning trip to Bolivia
After a disturbing video, a 19-year-old “TikTok” sensation commits suicide
The story of Ģirts Ozoliņš: from a physics teacher to the creation of synthesizers even for world rock stars
.
