Porzingis puts on another show as Latvia continue World Cup push

NEWCASTLE (Great Britain) - It was the Kristaps Porzingis show once again for Latvia as they completed a double-winning window in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers.

Porzingis finished with an impressive 29 points and 14 rebounds in a hard-fought 87-80 victory against Great Britain on the road to back up their impressive home win over Turkey.

The presence of the 'Unicorn' was a huge boost for Latvia with his effective inside-outside game along with his shot-blocking on the defensive end and ability to alter shots under the basket. 

"Porzingis played an amazing game, despite the great pressure on him and the super aggressive defense. He was our constant point of reference; to win free throws, to earn free throws and create good shots for himself and teammates," commented Latvia's head coach Luca Banchi post-game.

Porzingis opened the window with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks in the aforementioned home win against Turkey to really cement his return to the international stage.

After missing out on a place at FIBA EuroBasket 2022, Latvia are well placed to ensure they don't miss out on the next major tournament with their 5-1 record placing them at the top of the Group I standings having won all four World Cup Qualifiers this summer.

Latvia will host Great Britain in the reverse fixture in the November window, which also includes a mouth-watering trip to Greece in a crunch encounter.

FIBA