Latvian U16 basketball team | Photo: FIBA
The Latvian U16 women’s basketball team won the ninth place in the quarter-finals of the European Cadet Championship held in Portugal on Wednesday. Latvian basketball players beat Finland with a score of 64:61 (20:7, 14:22, 16:19, 14:13) and kept their place in the top division.
In the first half, the Latvians accumulated a 13-point advantage, but quickly destroyed it and in the third quarter, the opponents were in the lead for less than a minute. The Latvians returned to the front and the next time they lost the lead in the fourth minute of the next quarter. Ester Petrus’ accurate long shot in the middle of the quarter gave a three-point advantage, but the opponents’ subsequent efforts to fight back were unsuccessful. 7.2 seconds before the end of regular time, Petrus made another “three-pointer” and the Latvians already had plus five points (64:59).
Madara Šmite stood out for the Latvian team with 21 points and six steals, Petrus had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists, Krista Lukaševica scored four points and grabbed 16 rebounds, while Evelina Otto collected 6+11 in these statistics. Halina Mekele scored 15 points for Finland.
It has already been reported that in the subgroup the Latvians lost to their peers from Belgium with 63:67, in the second match they beat Poland with 77:55, and in the third they lost to the Portuguese with 58:79. Then there was a 64:77 loss to Greece in the round of 16. Thus, none of the Latvian youth basketball teams has entered the top eight of Europe this summer. U-16 basketball players will have the opportunity to repeat the result of the U18 women’s team – the ninth place in Europe.
The European U16 Championship takes place in Metuzinjoška from August 19 to 27. European Championship matches are broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The Latvian U16 national team is led by Ainārs Čukste, who is assisted by Līga Jansone and Anita Mikāle.
The composition of the Latvian U16 women’s basketball team at the European Championship:
Madara Šmite, Kitija Muzikante (both – Liepāja SSS), Emīlija Skudra, Estere Petrus, Paula Putniece, Krista Lukaševica (all – “Rīga”/”Center”), Evelīna Otto, Dārta Īvane (both – “Rīga”/TTP-1 ), Luize Bērziņa, Dārta Mālniece (both – RBJSS “Rīdzene”), Annie Brence, Megija Zeltiņa (both – “Rīga”/”Jugla”).
