Latvia national team

**Picek** · 08-12-2009, 07:41 PM

thanks for the update..

**pablonis** · 08-13-2009, 05:20 AM

Head coach of Lithuania, Ramunas Butautas: "Latvians have assembled their best team in 20 years at least"

Indeed, their roster this year is great. I'd say better than that of Russia with or without Kirilenko and clearly better than Germany. The Biedrins/Kambala duo makes a frountcourt that definitely needs to be taken into account and their guards might not be worldwide known names, but if they shoot the way they can, everyone will have a very hard time with them and few will escape victorious. With the not that convincing France around, they have a real chance of advancing as first from the group and getting into the quarters at least. It is only up to them.

**Picek** · 08-14-2009, 07:10 PM

Latvia - Lithuania 81-79

great game, very exciting to watch..
full hall, both teams fighting for each ball, both coaches not willing to let it go,..
it was almost like a championship game..
refs made some dubious decisions but it was a friendly...
Kleiza's three pointer for 78-80 was huge

Kambala played great, he brought the latvians back from a double digit deficit with some nice moves and the went crazy..
really nice to see him plays like that, I wonder why didn't he move to some euroleague team..

**Z.A.L.I.A.** · 08-14-2009, 07:14 PM

Ahhh, braliukai weren't friendly to us (by all meanings) today

**Jan van Grabski** · 08-14-2009, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by Z.A.L.I.A.

Ahhh, braliukai weren't friendly to us (by all meanings) today

that's exactly my thoughts, teams were fighting like angry dogs. I didnt see anything friendly in this game. But very intriguing ending and very entertaining. Latvia seems to have really nice team this year, good for them. Also after Kambala tried to elbow Jomantas, i was really thirsty for some blood and revenge. lol. Pity Jomantas missed both FT at the end. Kleiza was huge in the 4th quarter

**a-Ha** · 08-14-2009, 07:22 PM

Very intense game. I can agree that referees were not very professional, but we in Latvia are starting to get used to it. I'm not saying that Latvia won because of referees, the strenghts of both teams were equal like it was two days ago. The second half of the match seemed more like fight sport than basketball, and we know that Kambala is very good in tough game.

Anyway, good luck braliukas, see you in the final

**Picek** · 08-14-2009, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by Jan van Grabski

that's exactly my thoughts, teams were fighting like angry dogs. I didnt see anything friendly in this game. But very intriguing ending and very entertaining. Latvia seems to have really nice team this year, good for them. Also after Kambala tried to elbow Jomantas, i was really thirsty for some blood and revenge. lol. Pity Jomantas missed both FT at the end.

well Kleiza also wasn't really gentle with his foul in the last seconds of the game..
anyway IMO teams could learn more from friendlies like this then from "oh it's only a friendly" game..
although a game like this probably came a little bit early.. for both teams..

**Greed** · 08-14-2009, 07:30 PM

Perfect preparation game! And perfect game to watch as a basketball fan.. The game that got everything. I think both coaches are 100% satisfied with both games, played in Kaunas and Riga.

I hope we will meet again in Poland, then we will put every points on i.

Best wishes to our braliukas!

**the_black_planet** · 08-15-2009, 06:12 AM

I'm watching now the 1st game between these 2 teams and allready in the 1st quarter I've quite a few spectacular plays by a Latvian Pg.Is it Kristaps Valters(do you know who started the game?)Is he really that good,because I remember him not doing well in Panionios but it's a long time ago.I heard he signed with Badalona and in this game he plays like a top pg,smart but spectacular too,like a more experienced version of Nick Kalathes!Please sb who's following him closely explain me!

**basketfann** · 08-15-2009, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by the_black_planet

I'm watching now the 1st game between these 2 teams and allready in the 1st quarter I've quite a few spectacular plays by a Latvian Pg.Is it Kristaps Valters(do you know who started the game?)Is he really that good,because I remember him not doing well in Panionios but it's a long time ago.I heard he signed with Badalona and in this game he plays like a top pg,smart but spectacular too,like a more experienced version of Nick Kalathes!Please sb who's following him closely explain me!

I think he is the most improved player this year in Latvian national team.
The last season with Fuenlabrada was good 11,1p 4,8 as 3,2 r per game 3p 48%
I think he is now better than R. Shtelmahers who was the long time a latvian team leader.
If Valters can improve his play he maybe top5 pg in europe.

**aitorful** · 08-15-2009, 10:12 AM

Is Blums playing like playmaker or shooting guard?

**re5pectas** · 08-15-2009, 02:22 PM

What does three stars on Latvia's T-shirts symbolises? Just curious

**Get Rich Or Die Playin** · 08-15-2009, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by aitorful

Is Blums playing like playmaker or shooting guard?

Blums is combo guard for us. He plays some minutes as SG as well as PG.

Originally Posted by re5pectas

What does three stars on Latvia's T-shirts symbolises? Just curious

It's one of our national symbols - we've Freedom Monument where's those three stars.

**re5pectas** · 08-16-2009, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by Get Rich Or Die Playin

It's one of our national symbols - we've Freedom Monument where's those three stars.

Thanks, now I will know

The sculpture holds three stars in its hands as a historical symbol of cultural regions of Latvia - Kurzeme, Latgale and Vidzeme.

**a-Ha** · 08-24-2009, 05:55 AM

Unfortunately one of the best Latvian shooters Sandis Valters has shoulder injury and won't be able to play in Eurobasket

**Get Rich Or Die Playin** · 08-24-2009, 09:16 AM

Yeah, that sucks. He fit into very well and I thought that he could be one of key players this championship. Definitely a big blow for Latvia.

**a-Ha** · 09-01-2009, 10:10 AM

Shocking news - Latvian power forward Kaspars Bērziņš, who signed this summer with Fuenlabrada and played in NBA Summer league, is suspended from the national team and won't play in Eurobasket. Reason - lack of discipline and laziness on the court.

Two years ago he was the last one not to make place in roster of Eurobasket 2007.

This is bad, now we have only two centers (Kambala, Biedriņš) and one power forward (Helmanis), who is more shooter than inside player...

**Picek** · 09-01-2009, 10:23 AM

I guess someone had to take the blame for recent poor prep results..
why Biedrins played only 10 minutes against Germany?

**a-Ha** · 09-01-2009, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Picek

I guess someone had to take the blame for recent poor prep results..
why Biedrins played only 10 minutes against Germany?

Biedriņš has got a minor ankle injury, but the general manager of national team said, that it seems to be nothing serious. He claimed, that more information would be revealed in monday evening or tuesday, but still no news about that. So I hope, that injury is not serious and Biedriņš will be able to play in our last preparation game against Polish team "Prokom" on 3rd September.

**Straight forward** · 09-02-2009, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by a-Ha

Shocking news - Latvian power forward Kaspars Bērziņš, who signed this summer with Fuenlabrada and played in NBA Summer league, is suspended from the national team and won't play in Eurobasket. Reason - lack of discipline and laziness on the court.

And it seems that Kambala, Biedrins and K. Valters decided to teach K. Kemzura and to skip the training because of that

Latvians won't go anywhere far with that kind of attitude. I feel that this Latvian "dream team" will be a joke in this tournament as well.

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