Latvia Make Quick Work Of Luxembourg

Latvia made quick work of hosts Luxembourg on Saturday in Contern.

In the EuroBasket Women 2013 Qualification Round Group E game, the Baltic side poured in 29 first-quarter points en route to a 95-60 triumph.

Veteran power forward Liene Jansone had 18 points and Ieva Krastina, who was very impressive in the midweek victory over Italy, had 15.

Krastina is so far proving to be Latvia's three-point threat.

The 21-year-old finished four of five from behind the arc on Saturday after hitting four of six against the Italians.

Latvia took a firm grip on proceedings early against Luxembourg.

Kristina Karklina, the Latvia point guard, scored with a fast-break jumper and then buried a three-ball as Latvia went on top for good at 8-4 with 7:34 remaining in the opening quarter.

The visitors ended up out-rebounding Luxembourg 40-30 and also forced the hosts to turn the ball over 21 times.

Quotes Luxembourg vs. Latvia

Hermann Paar, Luxembourg coach:
"I am really happy with this result. After the game in Finland, where we have shown too much respect [to our opponents], we worked a lot and with less pressure and ecided to play our basketball - what we did very well tonight. We must continue like that, because for us, and the small country that we are, it is an honor to play against professional teams like Latvia."

Tessy Hetting, Luxembourg:
"We had to play a good game tonight. We wanted to do well after Finland, and I think we succeeded.  It was a hard game, we must learn a lot, against professional teams like that, this is really good for the future for us, and we will take every chance that we can have in this Group E."

Aigar Nerips, Latvia coach:
"The Luxembourg ladies played a big game; It was difficult in defense against their smaller players. We have a young group , with seven new players, and they must get experience and learn, because before we had a group with a lot of experienced ladies, now we must bide our time, to see where we made mistakes tonight, and then train a lot to improve. It’s a hard group, and I think it will be hard for everybody [to qualify] and includes us too."