Latvia delivered their most dominant EuroBasket performance in years, crushing Czechia 109-75 at Xiaomi Arena in Riga to close out group play with a statement victory ahead of Saturday’s Round of 16 clash.
The Bertāns brothers led a historic offensive explosion, combining for 40 points as Latvia tied their EuroBasket scoring record of 109 points — first achieved in 2005 against Spain. It marked Latvia’s first 100-point game at the European Championship since their 2017 Round of 16 victory over Montenegro.
Bertāns Brothers Take Over
Dāvis and Dairis Bertāns set the tone early, combining for 13 points in the opening minutes before extending their dominance throughout. The brothers finished with 20 points apiece, with Dairis connecting on six three-pointers from 10 attempts while Dāvis added three treys of his own.
“Our offense is getting better, our defense is getting better,” Dāvis said postgame. “We don’t count points at any point — the priority is a win.”
Latvia shot an exceptional 47% from three-point range (17-36), with the Bertāns bros accounting for nine of those makes. Their combined 40-point output provided the perfect template for Latvia’s high-octane offense heading into elimination play.
Rotation Opportunities
With qualification locked up and both Andrejs Gražulis (ankle) and Kristers Zoriks (rest) unavailable, coach Luca Banchi used the opportunity to experiment with his rotation. Artūrs Žagars returned after leaving the Portugal game early, logging 13 minutes with 3 points and 4 assists.
Most notably, Klāvs Čavars received extended playing time with 11 minutes on court. The 29-year-old center managed 4 points but looked rusty after limited action throughout the tournament. Mārcis Šteinbergs also got meaningful minutes (18), adding 6 points as Banchi tested different lineup combinations.
Kristaps Porziņģis dominated efficiently with 16 points in just 18 minutes, going 4-of-4 on two-pointers while grabbing 7 boards and blocking 2 shots. The upcoming Atlanta Hawks star sat out most of the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.
Czechia’s Winless Tournament
The victory capped a miserable tournament for Czechia, who finished 0-5 — their first winless EuroBasket since 2007. Despite flashes from Martin Peterka (11 points) and Vít Krejčí (11 points), the Czechs never threatened against Latvia’s relentless offense.
Latvia jumped ahead 30-24 after the first quarter and never looked back, leading by as much as 41 points in the fourth. The hosts shot 59% from the field overall while holding Czechia to just 43%.
Round of 16 Ready
Rihards Lomažs orchestrated the offense with 10 dimes, tying his tournament high while Latvia’s ball movement reached elite levels. The team dished out 31 assists on 39 field goals — a remarkable 79% rate that showcased their unselfish approach.
Roland Šmits added 16 points and Artūrs Kurucs contributed 12 as nine different Latvians scored. The depth and versatility on display will be crucial when Latvia faces their Round of 16 opponent on Saturday.
With Group A wrapped up, Latvia finished third behind Turkey (4-1) and Serbia (4-1), setting up a knockout stage matchup against the second-place finisher from Group B. That opponent will be determined after tonight’s Germany-Finland clash.
The 109-point outburst served notice that Latvia’s offense is peaking at the right time, with the Bertāns brothers leading a balanced attack that could trouble any remaining opponent in the tournament.
