Latvia's U20 basketball team dominates Romania, continues fight for 9th place at European Championship
Latvia's U20 men's basketball team defeated Romania 94-60, securing a second tournament win and guaranteeing their spot in the top division.
The Latvian U20 national basketball team secured a convincing victory over Romania on Thursday, July 16, in the European Championship classification round, winning 94-60. This win keeps Latvia in contention for the 9th place in the tournament.
Latvia took an early lead, with Mārtiņš Kilups putting the team ahead 4-0 within the first minute. The team maintained the lead throughout the game, trailing only for the first 20 seconds.
Rolands Šulcs was the top scorer for Latvia, netting 27 points, including five three-pointers and a perfect 6/6 from the free-throw line. Markuss Graudiņš added 16 points, and Mārtiņš Kilups contributed 14 points, missing only from beyond the arc while going 4/4 on two-point attempts.
The coaching staff had to manage health issues, as several players were dealing with elevated temperatures, a challenge that persisted throughout the championship. Despite this, the team showed consistent performance.
Romania, which lost all three group stage matches and fell to Spain 59-77 in the round of 16, struggled to keep up with Latvia's fast-paced offense and disciplined defense.
This victory also ensured Latvia's stay in the top division, returning after several years in the second tier. The team last competed in the top division in 2019.
Latvia's next game is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, against the winner of the Italy-Israel matchup. The tournament will conclude on Sunday with one final game for Latvia.
