U18 juniors: 16 candidates for the start of the European Championship

The Latvian U18 national team (born in 2004) in Kraslava has started preparing for the start of the European Championship Division B tournament, which will take place from July 29 to August 7 in the Romanian city of Ploiesti.

Head coach Juris Umbraško and his assistants Matīss Graudiņš and Oskars Virsis have invited 16 basketball players who have grown up in 13 sports schools to the training camp. The first action will take place in Kraslava, after which the team will move to Riga, where they will play two test matches with the junior teams of Ukraine (July 8 and 9) and Georgia (July 13 and 14), as well as start in the Baltic Cup (22 .-July 24).

Latvian U18 national team head coach Juris Umbraško:

“12 basketball players who participated in the Baltic Sea Cup in the winter, as well as four more players have been invited to the training camp. On-site and off-site We examined a wide range of candidates, including boys who have recently studied and played outside Latvia. We evaluated both the skills and the ability to fit into the team model. Not everyone will be able to work with the ball, players with specific skills in defense, fighting in baskets will also be needed. Unfortunately, the plan to bring together candidates for the mini-camps in the spring failed because the schedule for the Youth League and National League was very tight. The good news is that gaming practices are not lacking for anyone.

Among the newcomers is the match manager Juris Vītols, who did not play in the winter due to injury, “American” Ernest Ločmelis, who already participated in the FIBA ​​Challenger tournament last year, as well as François Nkoy-Eale. The boy was born in Ireland to a mixed family and is now moving to Latvia with his mother. Served in the Irish youth basketball system. So far, in terms of basic basketball education, it is probably lagging behind Latvians, but the physical talents are impressive – athletic, height around 210, wide armstroke. Well demonstrated in individual training, quickly perceives information. The prospects are good, let’s see how you will join the team. ”

The team of boys born in 2004 managed to take part in the Baltic Cup and international tournament in Turkey in the beginning of 2020, but the European U16 Championship scheduled for the summer was canceled due to a pandemic. Last year, five basketball players currently included in the candidates participated in the FIBA ​​Challenger tournament, together with players older than a year (the Latvian team won 3rd place in a six-team competition). In January 2022, Latvians lost to the Czech and Estonian juniors in the Baltic Sea Cup in Tallinn.

In the first stage of the European Championship Division B tournament, the Latvian team will meet with the teams from Switzerland, Portugal, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. The two best teams will play in the quarterfinals with the best duo of group D (Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Cyprus). The top three winners will be eligible to play in Division A of the European Championship next season.

Latvian U18 national team candidates