Majenieks: U20 team ready for European Championship; praises players' dedication
Latvia's U20 women's basketball head coach Kaspars Majenieks highlights the team's preparation and players' commitment despite injuries ahead of the European Championship.
Kaspars Majenieks, head coach of the Latvian U20 women's national basketball team, shared insights into the team's preparations for the 2026 European Championship in an interview with Sportacentrs.com. Work began in May when five players – Evelina Otto, Estere Petrus, Krista Lukasevica, Anna Liepina, and Mila Luzgina – joined Majenieks at the Mitsui Fudosan Cup in Japan. In June, the team played several friendly matches against Poland, Spain, and Lithuania.
The coach noted that at the start of training camp, there were more healthy players than last year, but due to unfortunate circumstances, four players suffered ankle injuries. Madara Smite missed all games in Riga due to injury, Krista Lukasevica returned after a 16-day break, while Anna Liepina and Mila Luzgina missed both games against Lithuania. Estere Petrus did not participate in the matches against Spain.
Majenieks expressed admiration for the players' dedication, emphasizing that they do everything to recover. He also appreciated the work of physiotherapists who endure the players' pain. The squad includes two players from the U18 age group – Mila Luzgina and Marta Plorina – due to a difficult situation with point guards. The coach stated he is not in favor of playing in two youth national teams, but it was necessary this year.
The coach thanked the Latvian Basketball Association for good preparation opportunities, including the trip to Japan and friendly games against Spain. He noted that the matches against Spain gave confidence that no team is unbeatable. Majenieks also shared that his personal experience as a father of three daughters helps him understand the players' logic, but he does not want to be their coach.
The U20 European Championship will take place in Lithuania. Latvia plays in Group B against Sweden, Germany, and Hungary. All teams advance to the round of 16. Majenieks believes that the new format, which does not require playing three consecutive days, is favorable for the team. He hopes the players understand the need to give their maximum every moment of the game.
