World Cup quarter-finals: Latvian basketball players fight against the German national team. September 6, 2023 +9 Watch more
Latvia will have to meet Italy in the semi-finals for the 5th-8th place on Thursday.
Latvia started the quarter-finals with Dāvi Bertāns, Andrejs Gražulis, Rodions Kurucs, Rolandas Šmitas and Artūrs Žagaras, while for Germany Izaks Bonga, Andreas Obsts, Denis Schröders, Daniels Theiss and Johannes Voigtmanis started the game.
Schröder started the match with an inaccurate shot, but Schmidt, having won the rebound near his own basket, dribbled to the German basket, opening the result in this match – 2:0.
Germany responded with Obst’s long shot (3-2), but Latvia scored the next 11 points, forcing Germany to call a one-minute timeout after Bertan’s two accurate long shots
In the fifth minute, Franz Wagner started for Germany for the first time after an ankle injury, replacing Bong. Germany got as close as 8-13, but Bertans hit his third straight long shot to make it 16-8.
50 seconds before the end of the quarter, F. Vagners also scored with a long shot, as Germany got closer to 11:16, while Johannes Tīmanis finished the quarter with two scored points – 13:16.
At the beginning of the second quarter, after an inaccurate pass by Bertāns, Morits Vagners hit the ball into the basket from above in the fast attack, Germany leading with 17:16 and forcing Lukas Banki to request a one-minute timeout for Latvia.
In the 13th minute of the game, Tīmanis achieved the biggest advantage until then, who made his third out of three two-point shots, having previously also hit both free throws and making it 21:18.
Germany achieved a 25:20 advantage after two accurate free throws by M.Wagner, to which Andrejs Gražulis responded with two accurate two-point shots, forcing Germany to request a one-minute timeout.
In addition, in the replay requested by Banki, it was decided in favor of Latvia, getting the ball, after which Žagar made a long shot, putting Latvia in the lead again (27:25).
Obst responded with five points in a row, but Žagar took the lead (31:30). Then, after an offensive foul by Žagar, Rodion Kuruc was fouled defensively, receiving his third personal foul.
Bertan’s fourth accurate long shot of the game was answered by Maodo Lo with the same, giving Germany a 36-34 lead.
In the eighth second of the half, Bertāns made a four-point move, regaining the lead for Latvia again – 38:36, but after Gražuļis’ half shot, the lead was 42:38.
Neither team led more than three points until the end of the quarter until Schroeder scored a 60-56 lead for Germany on a fast-break layup with a minute and 46 seconds left in the quarter.
After a one-minute break requested by Banki, Bertans made his sixth long shot in nine attempts.
Germany gained the decisive advantage at the beginning of the fourth quarter, when F. Wagner with two free throws, Bonga with a three-point shot and M. Wagner with a ball hit from above made it 70:59, and after another two-point shot by M. Wagner – 74:70.
Šmits hit two, and Žagar one long shot, restoring hopes for a successful outcome for Latvia (74:69), but further long shots performed by Šmits, Bertāns and Žagar were not successful.
After R. Kuruc’s long shot and Žagar’s three two-point shots, Latvia got closer to 79:81, but Bertāns’ long shot in the last seconds of the game was not accurate.
Latvian basketball players started their debut final tournament with a 109:70 victory over Lebanon and an 88:86 success over France, recognizing the superiority of Canada with 75:101 in the last group game. In the second round, Latvia defeated Spain with 74:69 and Brazil with 104:84.
Due to the injury received in the second match, the final tournament has ended for the captain of the Latvian national team Dairis Bertāns, leaving 11 basketball players at the national team’s disposal.
2023-09-06 09:29:00
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