3×3: The Olympic champions win silver medals at the European Championships for the second time

The quartet of Olympic champions – Agnis Čavars, Edgars Krūmiņš, Kārlis Pauls Lasmanis and Nauris Miezis – beat the Lithuanian national team 21:20 in the dramatic semi-final game of the European 3×3 basketball championship in Graz, Austria, but lost to the Serbian national team 14:21 in the final. The Latvian national team won the silver medals of the European Championship for the second time (plus the gold won in 2017). Nauris Miezis was included in the three All Stars of the tournament.

On Sunday, September 11, in the quarter-final match against the Israeli team, the Latvians with five accurate long shots (two for Lasman, one each for the others) in three minutes accumulated a decisive advantage (10:3), which the opponents could not question later – 21:7 (in six minutes and 19 seconds). . Miezis scored 7 points, Čavars 6, Lasmanis 5, Krūmiņš 3.

In other quarter-finals, the battle was fiercer: Serbia – Poland 21:18, Netherlands – Austria 21:15, Lithuania – Belgium 18:17.

In the semi-final with the Lithuanian national team, the Latvians were chasing the entire match. After 0:2, they managed to reach 2:2, but then they had to chase their opponents – 3:6, 6:11, 9:15. Several times they managed to reduce the score difference (14:15, 16:17, 18:19), but the Lithuanians, who hit eight long shots during the game, were one shot away from victory – 18:20. However, the last word belonged to Nauris Miez, whose long shot brought the Latvian national team a dramatic victory – 21:20. In the whole game, Lasmans had 12 points, Miez 5, Čavar and Krūmins 2 each.

In the second semi-final Serbia – Netherlands 21:10.

The Latvians lacked emotion and precision for the final game, the Serbian team was in the lead from the first minute – 0:2, 1:4, 4:6, 4:13, 9:15, 13:18 and 14:21. Lasmans 6 points (also the team’s only accurate long shot), Čavar 5, Miez 3. The fourth European championship title for the Serbian national team in a row.

In the bronze game, Netherlands – Lithuania 21:10.

In the final of the women’s tournament, France – Netherlands 21:14, in the bronze game Poland – Spain 16:13.

On Saturday, in the first game of the Group C tournament, the Latvian quartet beat the Montenegrin team 21:17. The Latvians were in the lead almost the whole game, they reached 12:8 in the 5th minute (Nauris Miezis had scored 10 points in a row!), but the opponents balanced the result with seven long shots (16:16). In the end, Miezis made his name again, setting up his partners for the attack with excellent passes and ending the game with a long shot. Miezis scored 12 points, Krumiņš 4, Čavars 3, Lasmanis 2.

In the fight for the first place in the group with the Polish team, the Latvians gained a decisive advantage (15:5) in four minutes, which they converted into a victory won in six and a half minutes – 21:13. Lasmans 9 points, Miez and Krūmins 5 each, Čavar 2. Poland – Montenegro 21:13 in the match between competitors.

Group A was won by the Serbian national team, which defeated Israel with 21:13 and Slovenia with 21:14. Also Israel – Slovenia 22:12.

Lithuania won the first place in Group B, beating the Austrian team 21:15 and Hungary 19:18. Also Austria – Hungary 21:13.

Group D was won by the Dutch team, which defeated Belgium 21:17 and Azerbaijan 22:6. Also Belgium – Azerbaijan 14:13.

The path of success of Latvian 3×3 basketball players began directly with the European Championship in 2017, when gold medals were won. Silver the following year, followed by silver at the 2019 World Cup and the Olympic title in Tokyo.

This season, the Olympic champions played in full force for the first time at the Montreal Masters held a week ago, where they won.

The Latvian women’s national team (Paula Mauriņa, Anita Miķelsone, Marta Misčenko, Ketija Vihmane) lost to the Estonian and Romanian teams in the decisive matches for the ticket to the final tournament in the qualifying tournament held in June.

Winners of the European Championships

The Latvian women’s national team (Paula Mauriņa, Anita Miķelsone, Marta Misčenko, Ketija Vihmane) lost to the Estonian and Romanian teams in the decisive matches for the ticket to the final tournament in the qualifying tournament held in June.

laureates of European championships