EuroBasket Trophy Tour takes centre stage in Riga and Tallinn

RIGA/TALLINN (EuroBasket 2015) - The EuroBasket Trophy Tour tipped off almost at the crack of dawn in Latvia's capital Riga on Tuesday morning.

The Riga Freedom Monument in downtown Riga was the first stop on the tour for the Nikolai Semashko Trophy. It was the beginning of a busy day for the trophy and its ever-present guardian Frenkie, the EuroBasket 2015 official mascot, who also had a television appearance to make on Latvian morning television.

Next up it was off to the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers, where the trophy was greeted by Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma, Latvian Minister of Finance Janis Reirs and 1960 Olympic silver medallist Cezars Ozers.

"Basketball has been the most popular sport in Latvia since 1935, when our national team won the first European Championship. We are proud to host EuroBasket 2015 together with Croatia, France and Germany," expressed Prime Minister Straujuma.

"The Latvian Basketball Federation is working hard to make it a success and I wish the best of luck to the Latvian national team."

In the evening fans got their chance to get up close to the trophy when it made an appearance at EuroBasket 2015 venue Arena Riga as local club VEF Riga took on former EuroChallenge participants Ventspils in Game 2 of the Latvian Basketball League Finals.

Ventspils won the game 85-68, tying the series 1-1.

Throughout the day social media in the Baltic country was abuzz, particularly when Frenkie and the trophy had a chance meeting with famous Latvian rock group Brainstorm.

 There was little time for Frenkie to rest however, with the tour continuing on Wednesday in Tallinn, Estonia, with another early morning television appearance, along with Estonian national team player Kristjan Kangur.

At 2pm local time local journalists are invited to a press conference with national team head coach Tiit Sokk, with the trophy once more on display.

In the evening it is scheduled for an appearance at Saku Suurhall, the venue of the 2013 U20 European Championship Men final, for Game 4 of the Alexela Korvpalli Meistriliiga (Estonian Championship) finals. 2014/15 EuroChallenge Last 16 competitors Tartu Rock currently lead BC Kalev/Cramo 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Following Tallinn, the tour is set to continue in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik from 3-4 June.

Go to eurobasket2015.org for full coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA