2024-07-05 11:28:04
Latvia lost to the Philippines 80:89 (16:32, 22:22, 18:23, 24:12) and entered the semifinals of the tournament. Latvia’s place in the group will be known on Thursday after the match between Georgia and the Philippines. If Georgia wins, but with a margin of no more than 47 points, the Latvian national team will take first place in the group, reports the Latvian Basketball Federation.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) reports that “the Philippines won its first victory over a European team in 64 years.”
The previous victory was celebrated in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, when the Filipinos managed to defeat Spain with 84:82.
In the Latvian national team, Rodions Kurucs collected 18 points and seven rebounds, while Dāvis Bertāns, Jānis Strēlnieks and Kristers Zoriks scored ten points each, the last two having five assists each.
Justin Brownlee led the Philippine team with 26 points, as well as nine rebounds and assists, Kai Soto had 18 points and eight rebounds, Dwight Ramos had 12 points and seven rebounds, Jun Mars Fajardo had 11 points and five rebounds. but Chris Newsom scored ten points.
Latvians were more accurate in two-point shots (57%:50%), while Filipinos were more accurate in long shots (45%:24%) and free throws (91%:84%).
In the battle under the basket, the Philippines won (43:34), but the Latvians had more assists (20:18).
Latvia violated the rules more (24:19), made fewer mistakes (8:18) and blocked more shots (5:3).
The Philippines started the match with an 8-0 lead after a long shot by Justin Brownlee, and the Latvians scored the first points with two accurate free throws by Krister Zorik.
After a 5-0 breakthrough, the visitors gained a ten-point advantage – 19:9. With the three-point shot of Jānis Strēlnieks, Latvia got closer to 16:21, but the Filipinos finished the quarter with an 11-0 breakthrough, scoring half as many points as the hosts in the first quarter after Christian Peres’ long shot in the last second – 32:16 in favor of the Philippines.
After Kay Soto’s two-point shot, the Filipinos gained the biggest advantage – 36:18. Latvia responded with eight points scored in a row, Marek Mejers making one of two free throws, – 29:39.
After a long period of time, Klāvs Čavars brought the deficit under ten points, who scored a basket with a penalty, but missed the penalty – 36:45.
The guests played the end of the half better, and even though Rihards Lomazh scored the last basket with a two-point shot, the Filipinos won the half with 54:38.
In the 23rd minute, the Philippines gained a 20-point advantage for the first time in the game – 63:43, after Soto’s accurate two-point shot, and Dwight Ramos achieved the biggest advantage – 74:48 with a three-point shot in the 27th minute.
The Latvians responded with eight points scored, six of them from the free throw line – 56:74, but the Philippines finished the quarter with an accurate long shot, and Peres stood out, – 77:56.
Latvia started the fourth quarter determinedly, Jānis Timma scored a three-pointer and Rodion Kuruc added two points – 61:77. The archer made it 69:79 with a two-point shot in the 36th minute.
In the rest of the time, the difference in points fluctuated between ten points, and the match ended in a loss
The Latvian national team beat Georgia 83:55 in the first game of the tournament on Tuesday, but this was the first match for the Philippines.
The Latvian national team participated in the Olympic Games in 1936, taking 15th place.
The Philippine national team has participated in seven Olympic Games, but the last time it happened was in 1972. The highest achievement is the fifth place won in 1936.
The Philippines is in the 37th place in the FIBA ranking, while Latvia is in the sixth place. In the World Cup last year, the Latvians won the fifth place, while the Filipinos ended the tournament in the 24th position.
It has already been reported that in the first match of the day “Arena Riga” Montenegro beat Cameroon 70:66. On Tuesday, Brazil defeated Montenegro 81:72 in this group.
In the last test match of the Philippines in Sosnowiec, they lost only 80:82 to the Polish national team, not taking advantage of the opportunity to win at the end. Power forward Justin Brownlee scored 30 points. That was preceded by a 73-84 loss in Turkey, with Brownlee scoring 21 points.
Latvia and the Philippines had never met before.
Head coach Luka Banki has included eight players who competed in the World Cup last year in the Latvian national team for the qualification tournament. Eight years ago, Jānis Strēlnieks, Dairis Bertāns, Jānis Timma and Mareks Mejeris took part in the Olympic qualification tournament.
The Philippines has only 11 players in the Olympic qualifiers, six of whom participated in the World Cup last year, with point guard Dwight Ramos averaging 13.2 points per game.
In Group A of the Olympic Games qualification tournament, Latvia’s opponents are Georgia and the Philippines, while Brazil, Cameroon and Montenegro are playing in the second group.
The two best teams of the group will play the two best teams from the other group (Brazil, Montenegro and Cameroon) in the semi-finals on Saturday. The winners of the semi-final matches will fight for the only ticket to Paris on Sunday.
Latvian basketball players defeated the Egyptian national team 84:63 in the two test games held in “Arena Riga”, but lost to Finland 84:90 in Tampere.
Lukas Banki is assisted by coaches Jānis Gailītis and Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis in Riga.
The composition of the Latvian national team for the qualification tournament of the Paris Olympic Games:
Rodions Kurucs (Murcia UCAM, Spain), Mareks Mejeris (Cluj-Napoca U-BT, Romania), Dāvis Bertāns (Charlotte Hornets, NBA), Dairis Bertāns (“VEF Riga”), Jānis Timma, Jānis Strēlnieks (both – “Obradoiro” of Santiago de Campos, Spain), Rolands Šmits (“Anadolu Efes” of Istanbul, Turkey), Artūrs Strautiņš (“Derthona” of Tortona, Italy), Klaavs Chavars (“Yokohama”, Japan), Rihards Lomažs (“Virtus” of Bologna) , Italy), Kristers Zorik (Izmir Petkimspor, Turkey), Artūrs Žagar (Vilnius Wolves, Lithuania).
Philippines squad for Paris Olympics qualifiers:
Chris Newsome (Meralco Bolt), Kay Soto (Yokohama B-Corsairs, Japan), Yoon Mar Fahardo, Christian Yeimar Perez (both San Miguel Beermen), Calvin Oftana (TNT Tropang Giga), Mason Amos (Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City), Dwight Ramos (Hokkaido Levanga, Japan), Happet Aguilar (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel), Kevin Quiambao (De La Salle University, Manila), Justin Brownlee (Jakarta) Pelita Yaya, Indonesia), Carl Tamayo (Chanwon LG Sackers, South Korea).
2024-07-05 11:28:04