The Bertans brothers living the Latvian World Cup dream

JAKARTA (Indonesia) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is in full swing, and debutants Latvia have captured the attention of fans around the world.

In their first-ever game in the major tournament, Latvia wasted no time making a statement with a resounding 109-70 victory over Lebanon - backing up their strong showing from the European Qualifiers - with a pair of brothers from Valmiera leading the way.

"WE NOT ONLY MAKE OUR FAMILY PROUD, WE MAKE OUR LITTLE TOWN PROUD AND OF COURSE, THE WHOLE COUNTRY." - Davis Bertans

Dairis Bertans led the charge with 20 points in the historic victory with Davis Bertans also making his presence felt, contributing 10 points and three rebounds as the duo combined for nine of the 18 made three-pointers. The win not only showcased Latvia's potential but also set the stage for an exciting journey ahead.

"I feel extremely happy about this opportunity because I'm already 34 years old and I've been playing for Latvia for most of my life. To finally be able to compete at the World Cup it’s simply amazing," declared Dairis, the older sibling by three years. 

"It’s always been special to play with my brother because we come from a really small town in Latvia. Growing up, we couldn't even imagine this, so now being able to play side-by-side at the biggest stage of basketball it's something unbelievable. I know that our parents are super proud as they should be."

Davis echoed those sentiments: "I've always enjoyed it. We're really competitive in practices when we go against each other, in shooting drills we want to beat each other, but once we step on the court, we just want to help each other as much as possible.

"We come from a super small town, so just having us both on the national team and being able to play at the highest level, I think we not only make our family proud, we make our little town proud and of course, the whole country."

Adding to the excitement surrounding Latvia's maiden World Cup voyage is the presence of national team star Kristaps Porzingis in Jakarta. Although unable to play due to injury, Porzingis has travelled with the team and was in attendance for their opening win on Friday.

It is another shining example of the tight-knit nature of the group and just how much Latvia's participation in the World Cup means to the country.

"Having Kristaps here is great," stated Dairis. "This is our philosophy now the last couple of years – no matter who makes the 12-player roster, we think that the national team is more than the 12 players. We're all in this together and it's great having him around. Of course, it sucks that he can't play, it would help us a lot."

Latvia may be missing their superstar talisman, but make no mistake about the talent that remains on the final roster. The Bertans brothers are not the only siblings on the team, either, with Arturs and Rodions Kurucs strengthening the family feel in literal terms, but this is a team that is well connected and one that plays for each other and for the national team.

"That's extreme pride," Davis said of the feeling. "The previous generations, there were some talented teams with talented players with high expectations at some point that never really performed well at the bigger tournaments.

"Even after FIBA EuroBasket 2017, we had a little break from actual tournaments, we kind of regrouped with a new coach and came back strong. Making the World Cup is one of the dreams come true. Hopefully, we can make another one happen next summer [with the Olympics] but we'll start with performing as good as possible here."

The start could not have gone much better, and it could be taken to an extreme level if they were able to overcome the huge test against France in a game that could decide the outcome of a Second Round spot.

Whatever happens, the Bertans brothers are living their World Cup dream with Latvia. Their journey is a testament to their skill and the power of family bonds. With their impressive performances and the support of Porzingis and their passionate fans, they are making a significant impact on the international stage.

As they continue their journey at the this year's World Cup, the Bertans brothers are determined to leave a lasting Latvian legacy.

FIBA