2024-07-08 15:21:50
It has already been reported that the Latvian men’s basketball team lost to Brazil in the final of the qualification tournament for the Paris Olympic Games in Riga on Sunday and did not win an Olympic ticket. Latvia conceded with 69:94 (11:34, 22:15, 13:23, 23:22).
“Brazil played an incredibly good match. They used their size and physicality from the start. We expected there to be excitement on the pitch. In the previous game we left a lot of energy on the pitch against 12 athletic opponents. Today, under the basket, the opponents were all able to beat us with their size, ” said Banki.
Although the Latvian national team was left without a ticket to the Olympic Games, Banki did not hide that a lot has been accomplished in the last three years.
“In this tournament, we were the only European team that got out of the subgroup. In order to reach the final, we overcame the barrier of the very athletic Cameroon. Today we faced the reality, as the Brazilians played an inspiring match. We did not show the same energy and aggressiveness as in the first match with Georgia and also in the semi-final with Cameroon. ” concluded Banki.
“I appreciate how much the whole country supported the whole team. I’m very sorry and disappointed that we didn’t give us another reason to celebrate. We never stopped believing and fighting, even on such a difficult day as today,” continued the coach.
Banki also emphasized that if three years ago Latvia’s success could be called a Cinderella story and the team could not be counted among the favorites, now the national team has confidence and honor to be among the best teams.
“Appreciate the players who did a great job and can help to experience many more great moments in the future,” emphasized Banki.
“We lost the final, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is a good period in Latvian basketball. We prepared for every game with the knowledge that we can win. Latvia has less than two million inhabitants, and we met on the field with a country with many millions of inhabitants,” said Banks.
The Latvian men’s basketball team has so far only participated in the Olympic Games in 1936 in Berlin. The women’s national team competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games tournament.
2024-07-08 15:21:50