Latvia Wins European Championship in 3x3 Basketball: Netherlands Defeated in Final

The men's national team of Latvia in 3x3 basketball became the winner of the European Championship, which concluded in Antwerp, Belgium. In the final match, the Latvians, seeded sixth, left no chances for the Netherlands, winning with a score of 19:10. After an equal start to the match, the Dutch held the initiative for a while, but then the Latvian team took control of the game and quickly built a comfortable lead. In the second half of the match, the advantage only grew, and a precise two-point shot by Nauris Miezis finally settled the questions about the winner. The most productive player of the Latvian team was Rihards Kuksiks, who scored seven points. Nauris Miezis contributed five points, Kristaps Gluditis scored four, and Zigmar Raimo added three. Gluditis received special recognition as he was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Alongside him, the symbolic team of the championship included Nestor Agassi from the Netherlands and French player Lorenzo Thiruard-Samson. The Latvian team navigated a challenging tournament bracket to reach the gold medals. In the semifinals, they defeated France with a score of 17:15, and the day before, in the group stage, they beat Ireland (21:16) and Lithuania (22:16). In the quarterfinals, the Latvians were stronger than the tournament hosts, the Belgian team (21:18). This victory confirmed that Latvia remains one of the strongest European teams in 3x3 basketball. In all six instances when the national team reached the final stage of the European Championship, they consistently returned home with medals. Latvia first became European champions in 2017. The team then won silver twice—in 2018 and 2022, secured bronze in 2023, and last season again became silver medalists. The women's national team of Latvia did not manage to qualify for the final part of the European Championship this time. Thus, several years after their first triumph, Latvia has once again risen to the top of European 3x3 basketball, reaffirming its status as one of the leaders in this sport on the continent.