Latvian basketball team secures hard-fought win over Netherlands in Gailītis' debut
Latvia's men's basketball team defeated the Netherlands 72-69 away on Friday in World Cup qualifiers, keeping alive their hopes for a spot in the 2027 tournament.
The Latvian men's national basketball team claimed a tough 72-69 victory over the Netherlands in an away game on Friday, February 21, 2025, in the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The match marked the official debut of head coach Jānis Gailītis.
The Netherlands dominated the first quarter, winning 26-18, with Latvia never taking the lead. However, Latvia bounced back in the second quarter, winning 23-7 to take a 41-33 halftime advantage. Rihards Lomažs scored 15 points in the first half.
The third quarter saw the Netherlands rally, outscoring Latvia 21-11 to regain the lead at 54-52 heading into the final period. In a tight fourth quarter, Latvia edged ahead 20-15. With 59 seconds left, the Netherlands led 69-68 after a three-pointer, but Artūrs Žagars made two free throws with 37 seconds remaining to put Latvia up 70-69. Kristaps Ķilps then sank two free throws with 16 seconds left to make it 72-69, and the Netherlands missed their final shot.
In Group F standings, Poland leads with five wins in five games, while the Netherlands and Latvia each have two wins, and Austria has one. Latvia's next game is at home against Austria on Monday. The top three teams from Group F will advance to the second round, where they will merge with the top three from Group E (Germany, Croatia, Israel, Cyprus). The three best teams from that combined group of six will qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.
