U18 European Championships in basketball: future stars in action
For the second time in six years Latvia hosts the most prestigious European youth basketball tournament — the European U18 Championships. The group stage and the first play-off games will be held in Liepāja and in Ventspils from July 28 till August 1. After that, on August 3–5, at “Arena Riga” the best eight teams will continue their battle for the medals and a ticket to the U19 World Cup and at “Elektrum Olimpiskais sporta centrs” games for the place in the division A will take place. During the European U18 Championships in 2013, which was held in Riga, new NBA and Euroleague stars emerged, with Kristaps Porziņģis (Latvia), Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Juan Hernangómez (Spain) and Kenan Sipahi (Turkey) among them. Which talents will the 2018 championships unveil?
Liepāja: Lithuania, Spain, Serbia...
In Liepāja, the first round games will be held between the teams in the group C (Bosnia and Herzegovina , Finland, Spain, Ukraine) and group D (the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Montenegro, Serbia).
Two years ago, when the teams of this age group played in the European Championships for Cadets, two teams playing in Liepāja — Spain and Lithuania — played in the final and Spain won the gold medal. Will the balance of power have changed after two years?
All games in Liepāja (groups C and D):
Saturday, 28 July: 14:00 the United Kingdom–Montenegro, 16:15 Lithuania–Serbia,
18:30 Spain–Bosnia and Herzegovina, 20:45 Ukraine–Finland;
Sunday, 29 July: 14:00 Serbia–the United Kingdom, 16:15 Montenegro–Lithuania, 18:30 Bosnia and Herzegovina–Ukraine, 20:45 Finland–Spain;
Tuesday, 31 July: 14:00 Montenegro–Serbia, 16:15 Finland–Bosnia and Herzegovina, 18:30 Lithuania–the United Kingdom, 20:45 Spain–Ukraine;
Wednesday, 1 August: eighth-final games at 14:00, 16:15, 18:30 and 20:45.
U18 European Championships in basketball: who will get medals and tickets to U19 World Cup?
After an exciting preliminary round and dramatic eighth-final games, the best European U18 teams will move from Liepāja and Ventspils to Rīga, where, after three-day-long play-offs at “Arena Riga” and “Elektrum Olimpiskais sporta centrs”, the champions, medal winners and U19 World Cup participants will be determined, as well as those who will lose their place from the European Championships division A.
“Arena Riga”:
Friday, 3 August: quarter-finals at 14:00, 16:15, 18:30, 20:45;
Saturday, 4 August: semi-finals for places 5–8 at 14:00 and 16:15, and semi-finals at 18:30 and 20:45;
Sunday, 5 August: 14:00 game for the 7th place, 16:15 game for the 5th place, 18:30 bronze medal game and 20:45 the final.
“Elektrum Olimpiskais sporta centrs”:
Friday, 3 August: quarter-finals for places 9–16 at 14:00, 16:15, 18:30, 20:45;
Saturday, 4 August: semi-finals for places 13–16 at 14:00 and 16:15, semi-finals for places 9–12 at 18:30 and 20:45;
Sunday, 5 August: 11:45 game for the 15th place, 14:00 game for the 13th place, 16:15 game for the 11th place and at 18:30 game for the 9th place.
The precise game schedule will be published on August 1 — after the eighth-final games. Follow the games here
