Latvia's 3x3 basketball team crowned European champions for second time

Latvia's men's 3x3 basketball team became European champions for the second time in history on Sunday, defeating the Netherlands 19:10 in the final of the European Championship held in Antwerp. The winning squad featured Nauris Miezis, Zigmārs Raimo, Rihards Kuksiks and Kristaps Gludītis.

Kuksiks led the scoring for Latvia with seven points, Miezis added five, Gludītis finished with four, and Raimo contributed three.

Match progress

The Netherlands scored first, but Latvia quickly took control, building an 8:3 lead. The two sides traded baskets before the Dutch closed the gap to three points midway through the match with a successful long-range shot. Latvia answered with a four-point run to move ahead 14:7 with under three minutes remaining. Although the Netherlands narrowed the gap slightly, a long-range basket from Miezis restored Latvia's seven-point cushion, and two late points from Kuksiks sealed the 19:10 victory.

Gludītis was named the tournament's most valuable player and was also selected to the symbolic all-star team alongside Dutch player Nesta Agasi and Frenchman Lorenzo Tiruaire-Samson.

Road to the final

Latvia beat France 17:15 in the semifinal, while the Netherlands reached the final by defeating tournament favorites Serbia 20:14. In group play, Latvia defeated Ireland 21:16 and Lithuania 22:16, then beat Belgium 21:18 in the quarterfinal. Latvia's women's team did not qualify for the European Championship finals.

This marked Latvia's sixth appearance in the men's European Championship finals, with the team having won medals in all five previous appearances — gold in 2017, silver in 2018 and 2022, bronze in 2023, and silver last year.