Latvian national basketball team
| Latvia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| FIBA ranking | 35 
|
||
| Joined FIBA | 1932 (co-founders) | ||
| FIBA zone | FIBA Europe | ||
| National federation | Latvia Basketball Association | ||
| Coach | Ainars Bagatskis | ||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Appearances | 1 | ||
| EuroBasket | |||
| Appearances | 14 | ||
| Medals |
 Gold: 1935 Silver: 1939 |
||
| Uniforms | |||
|
|||
| First international | |||
 Latvia 20–16 Estonia  (29 April 1924) |
|||
| Biggest win | |||
Latvia 108–7 Finland  ‡(Kaunas, Lithuania; 24 May 1939) |
|||
The Latvian national basketball team (Latvian: Latvijas basketbola izlase) is the basketball side that represents Latvia in international competitions. It had a remarkable success during the inter-war period, being the smallest in population nation to win the EuroBasket.
Latvians, like their Balts neighbors Lithuanians, also began playing basketball in 1920s. Though, they were much more advanced back then than their frequent rivals Lithuanians. On 13 December 1925 in Riga, Lithuanians played their first international game. Latvians easily swept them with result 41–20. Later on, Latvians were crushing the future three-times European champions Lithuanians as well (41–29 or even 123–10). In fact, Latvia had one of the world's strongest national basketball teams. The first Latvians teams consisted of students and pupils, who were trained by coaches of American YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association).
On 26 November 1923, the Latvijas Basketbola Savienība was founded, earlier than most of the biggest countries basketball federations.
In winter 1924, the first men's basketball championship was held, while the women's championship was organized only in 1933.
On 29 April 1924, Latvia played their first international game versus Estonia, winning it 20–16.
Latvia also was one of the eight countries, whose representative Jāzeps Šadeiko, signed the founding act of FIBA on 18 June 1932 in Geneva, together with Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Argentina.
The Latvians won the first European basketball championship, the EuroBasket 1935 held by the International Basketball Federation's FIBA Europe continental federation. They defeated Hungary in the preliminary round, Switzerland in the semifinals, and Spain in the final to finish atop the ten-nation field.
...
Wikipedia