Latvia's U16 basketball team faces Czechia after wins over Italy and Turkey
Latvia's U16 basketball team, having won its first two group games at the European Championship, will play Czechia on Sunday in a decisive match for first place in the group.
Latvia's U16 basketball team has won both of its group games at the European Championship so far, beating Italy 82:70 and then Turkey 88:63. These results put Latvia atop the group standings and make the team the clear favorite to finish first before the final round of group play.
On Sunday at 15:30, the Latvian squad will face Czechia, a team with mixed results so far — a heavy 74:102 loss to Turkey followed by a commanding 110:77 win over Italy.
Group standings scenario
Before the Latvia–Czechia game, Turkey and Italy will meet at 13:00, and that result will determine exactly what Latvia needs to secure first place. If Italy wins, Latvia will need an outright win against Czechia. If Turkey wins instead, three teams could end up level on record, in which case Latvia could still finish first even with a loss to Czechia, provided the margin stays within 21 points.
Top performers
Through two games, Latvia's leading scorer is Bendžamins Jānis Beruē, averaging 25.0 points per game, and he also leads the team in rebounding with an average of 13.5 per game. Markuss Jahovičs, averaging 17.0 points, shares fifth place in the tournament's scoring charts.
The winner of the group will earn a more favorable matchup in the round of 16, where Latvia is set to face a team from Group A — Lithuania, Serbia, Poland or Romania.
