Latvia's U20 Women's Basketball Team Opens European Championship Against Sweden
The Latvian U20 women's basketball team will play their first game of the European Championship on Saturday, July 4, in Klaipeda against Sweden.
The European U20 Women's Basketball Championship begins on Saturday, July 4, in the Lithuanian cities of Alytus and Klaipeda. Latvia will face Sweden at 1:00 PM in the Klaipeda Arena.
The 12-player squad was announced in late June, featuring six players born in 2006, four in 2007, and two in 2008. Krista Lukašēviča and Evelīna Otto are participating in this age group for the third time, while Madara Šmite, Kitija Muzikante, Estere Petrus, and Anna Liepiņa are making their second appearance. Five players (Šmite, Petrus, Otto, Brence, Muzikante) have previously played in U16 and U18 final tournaments.
In May, five players – Otto, Petrus, Lukašēviča, Liepiņa, and Luzgina – trained with the senior national team and competed in the Mitsui Fudosan Cup in Japan.
Injuries affected preparations: Madara Šmite missed all test games in Riga due to an ankle injury; Krista Lukašēviča returned to the court on June 28 after a 16-day break; Anna Liepiņa and Mila Luzgina missed both games against Lithuania; and Estere Petrus sat out test matches against Spain. Head coach Kaspars Mājenieks praised the players' dedication to recovery.
Sweden achieved its best-ever result in 2025, finishing fourth. Key players include Felicija Skolandere (avg. 4.7 points), Hanna Jolindera (8.6 points, 3.9 assists), and Lurdesa da Silva Kosta (15.6 points, 10.1 rebounds). Da Silva Kosta plays for Alabama in the NCAA. Last year, Sweden beat Latvia 80-74 in the group stage, with da Silva Kosta scoring 36 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
Latvia is in Group B with Sweden, Germany, and Hungary. All teams advance to the round of 16, which starts on July 8. The tournament concludes on July 12.
