Latvia's U-16 basketball team wins first-ever European title

Latvia's U-16 men's basketball team defeated France 75:69 in the final of the European Championship held in Romania on Saturday, securing the national team's first-ever title at this age level. Latvia went through the entire tournament without a single loss.

France led in the opening quarter, but Latvia quickly evened the score. At halftime Latvia trailed by a single point, before pulling away in the third quarter with a strong run that built a double-digit lead. France cut the gap to just four points late in the game, but Benjamins Janis Berue scored the decisive points in the final minutes to seal the win for Latvia.

Berue was Latvia's top scorer with 22 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Markuss Jahovics with 15 points, Markuss Aleksandrovs with 14, and Matiss Preimanis with ten.

Road to the final

In the group stage, Latvia beat Italy, Turkey and Czechia to finish first in their group. In the knockout rounds, Latvia defeated Serbia, then Greece in the quarterfinals, and Spain in the semifinals. In the bronze-medal game, Spain beat Lithuania.

This was only the second European final in the history of Latvia's U-16 boys' team. In 2014, when the tournament was hosted in Latvia, the team also reached the final against France but lost. Latvia's U-18 (2018) and U-20 (2013) national teams have likewise reached European finals in the past without winning the title.

To celebrate the achievement, a welcoming event for the team is planned for August 16 near the Daugava Sports Hall, where fans will have the chance to meet the players and head coach.