By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Sito Alonso officially took over the senior national team of Latvia, heading to the Qualifiers of the FIBA World Cup 2027.
On Wednesday, he named the members of his staff in Roberts Stelmahers, Arturs Visockis-Rubenis, and Davis Coders. Kaspars Vecvagars also entered the coaching team.
“I wanted those on the coaching staff to have worked with my predecessor, Luca Banchi, in recent years,” commented the 49-year-old Spanish tactician.
With the decision of the Latvian Basketball Association, LBS, revealed following EuroBasket 2025, Alonso was expected to replace Banchi. At the club level, the Madrid native recently signed a contract extension with UCAM Murcia; therefore will combine international duties with coaching the Universitarios in Spain’s Liga Endesa and FIBA Europe Cup.
Under his guidance, Latvia will launch a bid to reach the next World Cup with a six-game schedule in Group F of the Qualifiers beginning at home versus the Netherlands on November 28. After playing and health evaluations from the top of the 2025-26 club schedule, Alonso’s squad selections are expected to be announced in mid-November.
With Austria and Poland also in the four-team group, the top three seeds will join the top three among Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, and Israel in Group K, where a new six-game schedule will decide the three national teams advancing to the final stage. The next World Cup, which will determine seven spots in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, will be played in Qatar between August 27 and September 12, 2027.