Gailītis: Beruē won't join Latvia squad right after U16 triumph
Latvia basketball head coach Jānis Gailītis has ruled out adding U16 European Championship standout Bendžamins Beruē to the senior squad, currently down to 13 players due to injuries. The team departs for Slovenia today ahead of Wednesday's exhibition game.
Latvia's men's national basketball team has been hit by a wave of injuries during training camp, leaving only 13 players in the current squad. Head coach Jānis Gailītis, speaking to Latvian Television, dismissed the idea of calling up Bendžamins Beruē, who recently returned from an outstanding performance at the U16 European Championship, to fill the gap.
Gailītis explained that adding a young player to an already-moving squad so soon after such an emotionally and physically demanding event would be unwise. He acknowledged that Beruē would likely be capable of performing well, but questioned whether it would benefit his health or serve as the best possible debut for him.
A standout tournament for the young player
Beruē was named the most valuable player of the U16 European Championship. The tournament concluded on Saturday with the final, and Latvia's U16 team returned home on Sunday. Beruē himself said after the tournament that he plans to head back to the United States soon.
Preparations continue in Slovenia
Latvia's national team departs for Slovenia today, where it will play an exhibition match against the Slovenian national team on Wednesday evening at 21:00. The game will be broadcast live on the TV channel "Tet+ Classic".
The squad has now shrunk to 13 candidates, as injuries have ruled out Toms Skuja and Ojārs Siliņš for this cycle. The roster includes experienced players such as Mareks Mejeris and Kristaps Ķilps, as well as younger athletes, including 2007-born Tomass Talcis.
