Latvian Basketball Team Defeats Slovenia in EuroBasket Qualification
The Latvian women’s basketball team secured a decisive victory over Slovenia on Wednesday in Riga, advancing their chances in the qualification stage for the 2027 EuroBasket tournament. Latvia dominated the game with a final score of 79-53, marking a significant turnaround from their previous encounter in November.
Latvia established control early, ultimately revenging their earlier loss to Slovenia. Kitija Laksa led the Latvian team with an impressive 21 points, although Aleksa Gulbe contributed 15, and Kate Vika added 14. For Slovenia, Eva Liseca scored 12 points and Zala Friskovec added 11.
After a closely contested first half, where neither team gained a substantial lead, Latvia surged ahead in the third quarter, outscoring Slovenia by 20 points. They maintained their momentum in the final quarter, extending their advantage to 26 points. This win marks Latvia’s third victory in four games, positioning them as group leaders.
Latvia previously defeated Estonia 89-47 and the Netherlands 89-62 in earlier qualification matches, but fell to Slovenia 66-77 in their first meeting. Slovenia, after their initial win against Latvia, secured a victory over Estonia but lost to the Netherlands 76-86.
The Latvian team will continue their qualifying campaign with an away game against the Netherlands on Saturday, followed by a match against Estonia in Tallinn on March 17. Latvia will be without Anetes Steinbergas for these games, with Kate Vilka assuming the role of captain.
With three wins in four games, Latvia currently leads the group. The top two teams in the group, along with three of the best third-place finishers, will advance to the second round of qualification.
