By Semih Tuna/ info@eurohoops.net
Riga, Latvia – After scoring five points over 4:28, Arturs Zagars was ruled out for the remainder of the matchup between Latvia and Portugal in Xiaomi Arena.
Further medical tests will determine the severity of the injury. However, he was already dealing with a lower-body injury from the opener of Group A of EuroBasket 2025, as confirmed by head coach Luca Banchi. Over the first three showings in the preliminary round of the international tournament, the 25-year-old guard tallied 9.3 points, 5.0 assists, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per contest.
Due to a left ankle injury, Kristers Zoriks left the game with 54 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Latvia was already secured on the winning end en route to a 78-62 victory. Up to 2-2, a berth in the Round of 16 can be clinched later Monday, unless Czechia stuns Serbia. Following the completion of pool play in Riga, the top four seeds will stay in the Latvian capital for the knockout stage of the tournament.
After 11 points in the first quarter, Kristaps Porzingis ended up with 21 points behind 6/14 field goals, nine rebounds, three assists, and one block. On the wrong end of one-sided traffic, Neemias Queta had 16 points as Portugal was reduced to 1-3 in the six-team group, heading to a deciding matchup opposite Estonia on Wednesday.
“We are going to fight until the last minute of the last game,” stressed the losing head coach Mario Gomes on the bid to qualify for the next round, “We are alive.”
Turkiye jumps to 4-0
Earlier in Riga, Turkiye strolled past Estonia, 84-64, to improve to 4-0, with one game left in the five-game round-robin schedule, against Serbia. In Gameday 4, Alperen Sengun stood out with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one block, and one steal.
Photo Credit: FIBA