Gailītis: 'It Was a Struggle, Not a Beautiful Symphony'

Latvia's basketball team secured a tough 72-69 victory over the Netherlands on Friday, July 4, 2026, in a 2027 World Cup qualifier away from home. Head coach Jānis Gailītis, who was coaching his first official game with the national team, described the performance as far from ideal.

"It wasn't a beautiful symphony; it was a struggle, more like metal. It was a character fight," Gailītis said after the match. He noted the lack of aggression and energy from the players, which disappointed him greatly. The coach pointed out that some players displayed arrogance and didn't put in enough effort, even though the team has limited capacity to work harder.

The victory came thanks to made free throws in the closing moments, while the Netherlands failed to create good shots, relying too much on three-pointers. Gailītis praised Artūrs Žagars for his composure in the final minutes, not forcing difficult shots but looking for effective solutions—a sign of good leadership.

Latvia will face Austria at home on Monday in the final first-round game of the World Cup qualifiers. Currently in Group F, Poland has five wins, the Netherlands and Latvia have two each, and Austria has one. The top three teams from the group will advance to the second round, joining the top three from Group E (Germany, Croatia, Israel, Cyprus). From that group of six, the three best teams will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.