Latvia's U16 girls beat Lithuania at Baltic Cup

Latvia's under-16 women's basketball team claimed their second consecutive win at the Baltic Cup on Saturday, August 1, defeating Lithuania 66:51 at the Komandu Sporta spēļu halle. Melānija Sīpoliņa and Marta Pētersone combined for 36 points, pacing the home side on offense.

On the opening day, Latvia had already beaten Estonia 64:49, while Lithuania topped Ukraine 92:76. Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine defeated Estonia 85:67. Latvia then followed up with a victory over Lithuania in the evening.

The beginning of the game was tricky for Latvia. Lithuania had trouble scoring from open play, but their aggressive defence forced Latvian ball-handlers Marta Pētersone and Annika Zālīte to commit five turnovers each in quick succession. By halftime, Latvia had made 16 turnovers, yet still held a narrow 28:24 lead.

Late in the first quarter, Latvia put together a decisive run, turning a 6:8 deficit into a 17:10 advantage. Darina Ivanova was effective near the basket, Elīza Omula recorded three steals, and Madara Martuzāne delivered a useful pass to Sīpoliņa.

After the break, Latvia's attack began to flow. Sīpoliņa and Pētersone each finished two offensive sets, and Klaudija Brence opened the scoring in the third quarter to make it 38:26. Later in the period, Laura Ķikuste and Pētersone each hit their first three-pointer, extending the lead to 49:41.

Early in the fourth quarter, Lithuania scored five unanswered points to close within 49:46. Latvia responded through Pētersone's long pass to Ivanova and a Sīpoliņa three-pointer, restoring a ten-point cushion. The final score was 66:51.

Top scorer for Latvia was Sīpoliņa with 21 points. Pētersone added 15, Ķikuste ten, Ivanova seven, and Omula four. Valaine, Brence, Zālīte and Martuzāne each chipped in two or three points, while Deina Eva Galdiņa appeared in the game without scoring.

Latvia will next face Ukraine on Sunday, August 2, at 16:00.