Ahead of new season, Ventspils guard Karlsons heads to China for FIBA U23 World Cup
BK Ventspils playmaker Kristofers Karlsons will temporarily leave the team just before the season starts to join Latvia's U23 squad at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in China. The tournament runs September 15-19 in Hunshan.
From September 15 to 19, the Chinese city of Hunshan will host the FIBA U23 World Cup in 3x3 basketball, featuring both Latvian men's and women's national teams. Both squads earned their spot by performing well across three tournaments in the second round of the Nations League European zone, Group 2.
BK Ventspils, runner-up in the Latvian Basketball League, will temporarily be without starting playmaker Kristofers Karlsons during the final stretch of preseason preparations, as he heads to China with the U23 national team. Ventspils is set to play its Latvian-Estonian basketball league season opener on September 25 against Valmiera Glass/ViA, last season's LBL final opponent.
Men's and women's rosters
Joining Karlsons on the trip to the World Cup are Mārtiņš Bumbieris, Dāvis Skreivers and Mārtiņš Zviedris. Last season in traditional basketball, Bumbieris and Skreivers played for Kandava/Turība, which won bronze in the National League, while Zviedris won the Regional League title with Ādaži/Daily.
Latvia's U23 women's team will be represented by Marta Leimane, Ieva Korzāne, Adelīna Urtāne and Enija Ķīvīte.
Group stage opponents
In the group stage, the men's team will face New Zealand, Spain, the Philippines and Egypt. The women's team, which starts its tournament a day earlier than the men, will play against Madagascar, Spain, Uganda and Tonga.
