Latvia suffered a crushing 73-93 defeat to Türkiye in their EuroBasket 2025 opener at Xiaomi Arena on August 27, with star guard Artūrs Žagars exiting the game injured in the third quarter.
The sold-out crowd of 11,000 deep, witnessed Türkiye set multiple tournament records in a dominant performance that silenced the home fans.
Kenan Sipahi led the Turkish assault with 19 points, shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range, while Alperen Sengun nearly recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
Latvia’s hopes took a significant blow when Žagars limped off the court in the third quarter with what head coach Luca Banchi described as a “lower body injury.”
The guard, who had scored 11 points in 17 minutes including three spectacular three-pointers, was seen walking through the interview zone with team personnel assistance after the game.
“It’s another injury to the lower body. He will undergo examinations to determine the severity of the injury,” Banchi said during the post-game press conference.
Žagars had already missed three of five exhibition games during preparation due to leg issues, making his latest setback particularly concerning for Latvia’s tournament prospects.
Türkiye controlled the game from the opening tip, with Ercan Osmani converting the tip-off directly into a dunk. The visitors never trailed, building a 47-39 halftime lead before exploding in the third quarter behind Cedi Osman and Shane Larkin’s three-point shooting.
The Turkish team set a new EuroBasket record with 15 made three-pointers, surpassing their previous mark of 14 against France in 2022. Their 93 points marked the highest total ever scored by Türkiye against a host nation at the EuroBasket.
“Offensively, we played perfect. We shared the ball very well, inside outside, we made the open shots,” said Türkiye head coach Ergin Ataman. “Both sides of the basketball, we played perfect.”
Kristaps Porzingis managed just 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting as Türkiye’s defense frustrated the Boston Celtics center throughout the night. Rihards Lomazs led Latvia with 16 points off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the disappointing home opener.
The defeat extends Latvia’s recent struggles, having posted a 2-3 record in their exhibition schedule leading up to the tournament. They will look to bounce back against Estonia on Friday, while Türkiye faces Czechia the same day.
Žagars’ injury status remains uncertain, with further medical examinations scheduled to determine whether Latvia’s primary playmaker will be available for upcoming games at their home tournament.
