Latvia's basketball team falls to Ukraine in last-second thriller in Riga

Latvia's men's national basketball team played another exhibition match in Riga on Sunday as part of preparations for the second round of 2027 World Cup qualification. Facing Ukraine's national team, led by well-known coach Ainars Bagatskis, the Latvian side lost 82:84.

The game was closely contested, with the outcome decided in the final seconds, as Ukraine secured a narrow two-point victory. This marked another setback for the Latvian team, which has yet to record a win in its current series of preparation games.

Preparations continue

Exhibition matches ahead of major official tournaments traditionally give coaching staff a chance to assess team readiness, player form and tactical approaches before decisive competitions. Latvia's national team is preparing for the second round of 2027 World Cup qualification matches, and the current series of friendlies is part of that preparation process.

Ukraine's team, coached by Bagatskis, showed enough quality to claim victory in the closing moments. Latvia's squad will need to continue refining its play, as the team has not yet secured a win in this round of preparation games.