Latvia begins new era under Gailītis with friendly in Tallinn
Latvia's men's basketball team plays its first friendly against Estonia under head coach Jānis Gailītis, preparing for World Cup qualifiers.
Debut for Gailītis as head coach
Tonight at 18:30 in Tallinn, the Latvian national basketball team faces Estonia in a friendly match. This is the first official game with Jānis Gailītis as full head coach, although he already led the team during the 2024 EuroBasket qualifiers when Luca Banchi was still officially in charge.
The game will be broadcast live on "Delfi TV" Estonia and the "TET+" platform.
Young prospects in the squad
The Latvian roster includes two players born in 2008 – Ričards Aizpurs and Gunārs Grīnvalds – both of whom have announced they will continue their careers in the NCAA. Gailītis revealed in a press conference that discussions were held with Bendžamins Jānis Beruē, but due to his busy schedule in the US and potential stress of debuting with the senior team, it was decided he would instead join Latvia's U16 squad this summer.
Gailītis' basketball philosophy
Team leader Rolands Šmits, who has worked with Gailītis for many years, noted that the coach wants fast and physical basketball. After the first training session, Šmits expressed full trust in Gailītis.
Qualification outlook
Latvia sits with a 1-3 record in World Cup qualifiers, having won only against Austria. Estonia stands at 2-2. The two teams have met 15 times officially, with Latvia winning the last encounter 74-72 at last year's EuroBasket.
Upcoming qualifiers: July 3 away to Netherlands, July 6 home against Austria. Before that, on June 28, Latvia will host Georgia in another friendly.
