Kristaps Porzingis scored 26 points to lead Latvia from a 12-point deficit to a thrilling 72-70 victory over Estonia at Xiaomi Arena in Riga on August 29, 2025.
The Latvian Hawk dominated the fourth quarter, scoring crucial baskets and drawing fouls to deliver Latvia’s first victory in EuroBasket 2025 Group A after dropping their opener to Turkey. Davis Bertans grabbed 11 boards while Arturs Zagars dished 6 dimes in the Baltic rivalry showdown.
Early Struggles Set the Stage
Latvia started sluggishly against their northern neighbors. Estonia jumped to an 8-3 lead with 7:07 remaining in the first quarter, shooting 75% from three-point range while Latvia missed their first three attempts from deep.
The home team struggled throughout the opening period, managing just 15 points. In their last 14 EuroBasket games, Latvia had scored fewer than 20 first-quarter points only twice — 12 against Russia in 2017 and 15 against Estonia in 2015.
Porzingis looked uncomfortable early, committing 3 turnovers in the first quarter. He had never recorded more than 3 turnovers in any of his seven 2017 EuroBasket games, but would finish with 7 against Estonia.
Estonia Takes Control
Estonia maintained their advantage through the second quarter behind strong play from Siim-Sander Vene. The forward, who managed just 0 points and 1 rebound in 21 minutes during their previous EuroBasket meeting, exploded for 7 points and 3 rebounds in 8 minutes before suffering an injury.
Latvia entered halftime trailing and found themselves down 52-41 with 6:24 remaining in the third quarter. Coach Luca Banchi called timeout as his team faced another potential defeat after losing their tournament opener.
The Turning Point
Latvia’s comeback began with improved ball movement and aggressive defense. Zagars hit a crucial three-pointer, then created a steal and drew a foul while attempting another three in transition, converting 2 of 3 free throws.
Rolands Smits provided the spark with an and-one play that brought the crowd to their feet. The Arena Riga faithful, split evenly between Latvian and Estonian supporters, suddenly found their voice as the home team clawed back.
Kristers Zoriks capped the third-quarter rally with a three-pointer that gave Latvia their first lead at 63-61 heading into the final period.
Fourth-Quarter Drama
The final quarter became a defensive struggle. No points were scored for the first 5 minutes, with Latvia missing their first 5 three-point attempts of the period.
Estonia managed just one field goal until the 2:00 mark, when Kristian Kullamae’s three-pointer cut Latvia’s lead to 66-64. The visitors had gone scoreless for nearly 8 minutes of game time.
Porzingis took over down the stretch. He converted a turnaround jumper to extend the lead, then answered Kullamae’s three with a thunderous dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
With 1:37 remaining and Latvia ahead by 4, Estonia missed both free throws on a crucial possession. Porzingis sealed the victory with an and-one play, finishing the free throw to complete a dominant individual performance.
Statistical Standouts
Despite the victory, Latvia’s offense struggled throughout. Porzingis was the only player to reach double figures in scoring, though his 26 points proved decisive in the low-scoring affair.
Estonia shot 72% from the free-throw line compared to Latvia’s 81.5%, a crucial difference in the tight contest. Latvia’s superior rebounding (37-35) and fewer turnovers (13-16) helped secure the narrow victory.
The 10,291 fans in attendance witnessed one of the tournament’s most dramatic finishes, with supporters from both nations creating an electric atmosphere throughout.
Looking Ahead
Latvia bounces back to 1-1 in Group A after their opening loss to Turkey, but now faces their toughest test yet. Serbia, led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, represents the group’s biggest challenge.
“Obviously, Serbia is a big, big challenge. Probably number one, or top three, for sure, team of the tournament on paper,” Porzingis acknowledged after the game.
Coach Banchi emphasized the team’s focus despite the dramatic victory. “We are here to play every night, we are totally focused. We feel the responsibility to make the fans happy,” he said when discussing the upcoming Serbia matchup.
For Estonia, the loss drops them to 0-2, but their spirited performance against the tournament hosts showed they remain competitive in Group A. Matthias Tass and Artur Konontsuk each scored 13 points, while Kullamae added 12 points with 8 assists.
