Basketball 3×3. Gold medals for Lithuanians and Latvians
In the grand final of 3×3 basketball at the European Games Krakow – Malopolska, the Lithuanian women’s team defeated France 19:16. In the men’s gold medal game, the Latvians won confidently, defeating the Belgians 19:11.
The French women encountered a worthy rival. For a few minutes, they didn’t really know what was going on on the court, as Lithuania was leading 6:2. However, in a moment, the French representatives made up for the loss. The situation quickly changed again, as it was the Lithuanians, who had the support of a large group of fans in the stands, who came out on top again (14:11). They also kept more cool in the end and won 19:16.
In the men’s final, the Belgians, exhausted by the tournament, were not able to play with the same vigour as in the earlier matches. The Latvians scored in a flash and led 8:1, and even though they had seven fouls and had several opportunities to make free throws, it did not change the fate of the match. The Latvians did not push the pace, the tired Belgians managed to throw 11 points, but the Olympic champions from Tokyo scored eight more and it was they who celebrated winning the European Games.
