The national women’s basketball team with Babkin and Jákobson is going to the games in Asia / Article

The Latvian women’s national team will go to the Far East on Monday, where they will play four test matches against the national teams of Japan (August 11 and 12) and South Korea (August 19 and 20).

Both opposing teams are preparing for the World Cup, while the closest test for the Latvian team will be the 2023 European Championship qualification matches in November and February.

In the summer work cycle, the Latvian team, without several potential leaders, has already played test matches with the national teams of Estonia (84:33) and Finland (65:85).

After these matches, Babkina joined the team and Jákobsone returned to the lineup. Aija Jurjāne will not participate in the Games in the Far East, whose new club “Galatasaray” from Istanbul has already started training. Likewise, rehabilitation after injuries continues for Aneta Steinberg and Kitty Lacks, while Dignna Strautman continues her season in Australia.

“You don’t get to meet representatives of Asian basketball schools on the court often. Different style, different mentality, but high class, which was confirmed by the silver medals won by the Japanese national team at the Tokyo Olympic tournament,” said Latvian national team head coach Gundars Vētra.

The head coach also emphasized that this will be a valuable experience especially for the young players, who will be expected to contribute on the field in official matches in the near future.

The Latvian women’s national team met both Asian teams in 2008 during the cycle of the Beijing Olympic Games. That time, Latvia managed to defeat the Japanese national team (83:69) in the qualification tournament in Madrid in June. Two months later, the Latvian women’s basketball players experienced a loss against the Korean women in the battle to enter the quarterfinals (68:72).

In the first round of the 2023 European qualification tournament, the Latvian team defeated the Israeli national team away (62:56) and defeated the Swedish team in Riga (89:70). Latvia will start the second round on November 27 in Riga with Israel, and on February 9 they will play away in Sweden. The winners of the group, as well as the four best of the ten runners-up, will go to the final tournament in June 2023 in Slovenia and Israel.

Latvian women’s basketball national team for test matches against Japan and South Korea

Elīna Babkina (Ramlas “Eliztur”, Israel), Ilze Jākobsone (, Elizabete Bulāne (Georgia Institute of Technology, NCAA), Vanesa Jas (“IDK Euskotren” of San Sebastian, Spain), Ieva Pulvere (“TTT Riga”), Māra Mote, Louise Shepte (both – “Riga Stradins University”), Karline Pilābere (San Martino “Fila”, Italy), Aleksa Gulbe (“Perfumerias Avenida” of Salamanca, Spain), Laura Melder (“Umana Reyer” of Venice, Italy), Marta Mishchenko (” Estepona”, Spain), Paula Strautmane (“Cadi La Seu” by Laseva Durželas, Spain).

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