At the U23 3×3 Basketball World Cup in Wuhan, China, the Latvia men’s national team secured the silver medal following an 18–19 defeat against Lithuania in the final on Saturday, September 19. Meanwhile, the Latvia women’s national team finished fourth in their debut appearance at the tournament.
The men’s squad—consisting of Mārtiņš Bumbieris, Kristofers Karlsons, Dāvis Skreivers, and Mārtiņš Zviedris—traveled to China with a coaching staff led by Ritvars Kauliņš. The women’s team featured Marta Leimane, Ieva Korzāne, Adelīna Urtāne, and Enija Ķīvīte under coach Markuss Mamajs. Both squads worked with physical preparation coach Dinārs Zāģeris and physiotherapist Nadija Grišina, while the overall program operated under the supervision of Latvia national team head coach Raimonds Feldmanis.
Men’s Tournament: A Run to the Podium
Latvia’s path to the men’s final featured tightly contested knockout matches. In the quarterfinals, the team faced the United States. The Americans opened strongly, establishing a 6–2 lead by the second minute. Latvia responded by erasing the deficit to make it 7–6 by the fourth minute, leading to a back-and-forth middle phase where both sides traded the lead. Trailing 17–14, Kristofers Karlsons landed a deep two-point shot and followed up with accurate free throws to push Latvia ahead for a 19–17 victory. Karlsons led the scoring with seven points, Bumbieris added six, Skreivers contributed four, and Zviedris chipped in two.
In the semifinals against Australia, Latvia faced an early deficit as the opponents shot accurately from multiple distances to build a 13–7 and later 15–10 advantage. Late in the game, Zviedris and Skreivers hit long-range shots to level the score at 17–17. After falling behind 18–17 in the final minute, the Latvian defense forced a stop, allowing Bumbieris and Zviedris to convert four free throws under pressure. Zviedris finished with nine points, Skreivers added six, Bumbieris four, and Karlsons two.
The final against Lithuania mirrored the physical intensity of the earlier rounds. Lithuania took an early lead, pushing ahead 13–6 by the fifth minute and extending the margin to 18–13. Latvia mounted a late charge, narrowing the gap as fatigue affected the opponents’ shooting precision. With 20 seconds remaining, Latvia had a possession to tie the game but failed to convert, allowing Lithuania to secure an 19–18 victory and claim the title for the second year. Karlsons scored eight points in the final, Skreivers added five, Zviedris four, and Bumbieris one.
The silver medal matches the best-ever finish for a Latvian men’s team at the U23 World Cup, echoing the performance of the inaugural 2018 tournament in which Armands Ginters, Roberts Pāže, Linards Jaunzems, and Dāvids Ozoliņš also finished second.
Women’s Tournament: Strong Debut Ends in Fourth Place
Latvia’s women’s team opened their historic tournament run with a 21–15 quarterfinal victory over France in under 10 minutes. The Latvian lineup utilized speed, disciplined teamwork, and aggressive play to keep France from ever leading. After a 4–4 tie, Latvia manufactured an 8–4 run. Although France closed the gap to 14–13, late long-range conversions by Enija Ķīvīte and Ieva Korzāne secured the 21–15 win. Ķīvīte led with seven points, Leimane added six, and Urtāne and Korzāne contributed four points each.
In the semifinals, Latvia met Canada. While the Latvian side matched the early pace—leading 2–0 in the first minute and pulling within 9–7 by the sixth minute—missed scoring opportunities allowed Canada to pull away for a 21–8 decision. Leimane scored three points, Ķīvīte and Urtāne added two each, and Korzāne chipped in one.
In the bronze medal match against Spain, Spain established an early advantage and maintained control despite a late offensive push by Latvia, sealing the fourth-place finish for the tournament debutants.
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