LAT – Latvia abuzz with EuroBasket Women

LIEPAJA (EuroBasket Women 2009) – Hosts Latvia enjoyed a storming start to their EuroBasket Women campaign on Sunday with an 86-52 victory over Poland.

Looking to follow up their appearance at last year’s Olympics with qualification for next year’s FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic, the Latvians hammered the Poles after a stunning first-half performance in front of a raucous home crowd in Liepaja.

They opened up a 12-1 lead midway through the first quarter and ended up going to half-time with a 36-16 lead.

The game was marked by constant applause and the sound of drums in the Latvian crowd.

The Latvians have an enormous home-court advantage.

"The crowd was fantastic," said Latvia star Anete Jekabsone-Zogota, who finished with a game-high 20 points on nine of 16 shooting from the floor.

"It made the hairs on your arms stand on end.

"At no EuroBasket that we have played in before have I ever seen a team get the kind of support that we had tonight."

EuroBasket Women Results Day 1: Ukraine 55 Slovakia 77, Lithuania 71 Serbia 49, Belarus 81 Israel 76, Greece 59 Hungary 43, Czech Republic 59 Spain 66, Russia 74 Turkey 61, Latvia 86 Poland 52, Italy 61 France 76.

FIBA