The Latvian men's national team's youngest generation until now cannot be very proud of their international achievements. Two straight EuroBaskets without a win and a disaster two years ago after an excellent victory in the opening game against Croatia means this team is craving success at this level. Now players and fans want more then just participation in the EuroBasket Final Round, for example qualification for 2010 World Championship.
Before Wold War II Latvia, with a population of just over 2.4 million, was a European basketball superpower. In fact, the Latvia national team was the first European champion (1935 in Geneva) and came in second four years later in Kaunas.
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| Kaspars Kambala |
A second golden age of Latvian men's basketball set in after twenty years. From 1955 till 1960 Latvia's best club, ASK Riga, four times a row won a very strong Soviet Union Championship and in 1958 became the first winner of the European Champions Cup. The trophy stayed in Riga in 1959 and 1960. The head coach of ASK Riga was an international basketball legend Alexander Gomelski who had come to Riga from Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). But all players were born in Latvia - including their impressive centre Janis Kruminch (2.18m), brilliant point guard Maigonis Valdmanis and shooting guard Valdis Muiznieks. In all eight Latvians won the European Championship with the Soviet Union between 1953 and 1985. The best individual performance came from point guard Valdis Valters, who was the best players of EuroBasket 1981 and was also elected to the All-Tournament first team in 1985.
Since recovering independence Latvia men's national team has regularly qualified for EuroBasket but just one time came back to the homeland feeling good. In 2001 Latvia upset their powerful neighbour Lithuania, 94-76, in the Eight-Final and finished in eighth place. Before and after that quality fast breaks, good perimeter shooting and hard defence was not enough to attain regular success. During preparation games Latvia was able to beat future European Champions Greece (2005) and Russia (2007). That does not mean they haven't been competitive with close games against Italy (80-79 in 1993), Lithuania (91-92 in 2003), Spain (109-114 OT in 2005) and Croatia (85-78 in 2007). But in crucial games Latvia always came up short.
Now is the time for this young generation to write their names in Latvian, and probably European,
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| Kristaps Janicenoks |
basketball history. Since 2007 centre Andris Biedrins of NBA club Golden State Warriors has become a cornerstone of the team on both sides of the court and his appearance make more solid team performance. After some years break Kaspars Kambala - one of surprising stars of EuroBasket 2001 - is back in the Latvian national team and with these two giants in the roster Latvia is no longer just a "run and gun" squad.
In the last few years some other Latvian players have improved their skills as well. Both point guards Kristaps Valters and Janis Blums had a good season in Spain. Excellent three-point shooter Kristaps Janicenoks was named one of the best players in the Italian Lega Due. Inimitable combo guard Armands Skele and promising power forward Kaspars Berzins led Barons/LMT to the FIBA Europe EuroCup title in 2008 , as they became the first Latvian men's team to win a European title since 1960.
In EuroBasket 2009 the Latvian orchestra will play under a new conductor. Looking for fresh experiences and ideas some Latvian clubs have invited foreign coaches and the results were good enough to continue this way with national team too. In EuroBasket qualification Latvia was lead by Serbian born coach Nenad Trajkovic. Before the finals though the federation turned to a closer neighbour, hiring Lithuanian Kestutis Kemzura who brought in as his assistants a former national team head coach Igors Miglinieks and long time Latvian point guard Edmunds Valeiko.
