Latvian basketball coach Alonso has named the candidates for the national team, highlighting the return of several players and the involvement of EuroLeague forward Rolands Šmits.
Coach Alonso has released the list of candidates for the Latvian basketball national team as they prepare for upcoming matches against Poland. Notably, players Kristers Zoriks, Artūrs Strautiņš, and Toms Skuja have returned following health issues. EuroLeague representative, Rolands Šmits from Istanbul's Anadolu Efes, is also available for selection, signifying a strengthening of the team's lineup.
The Latvian team will face Poland in two matches, with the first set to take place in Riga on February 27 and the second on March 1 in Gdynia. In the earlier qualifying rounds held in November, Latvia lost to the Netherlands with a score of 78:86 but bounced back with a solid 86:68 victory over Austria. Poland secured wins against both the Netherlands and Austria, indicating they are a strong opponent in the upcoming matches.
Coach Alonso expressed satisfaction with the player's contributions during their initial training camp despite facing various challenges. He noted that this is his first experience coaching the team and emphasized the benefits of having already worked closely with the players. As they head into this next camp without a break in the EuroLeague schedule, the integration of Šmits and other returning players provides the team with a much-needed advantage as they strive to qualify for future competitions.
