Lebanon's Late Rally Not Enough Against Latvia in FIBA Basketball World Cup Opener

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A late-game surge couldn't save the Lebanese national basketball team as they were overwhelmed by Latvia, falling 109-70 in their FIBA Basketball World Cup opener at Jakarta Indonesia Arena on Friday.

The Latvians established their dominance from the outset. By the end of the first quarter, Latvia had carved out a 27-17 lead. Lebanon's struggle to find a rhythm continued into the second quarter, as they were outscored 28-13, leaving them with a mountain to climb at halftime, trailing 55-30.

The story didn't change much in the third quarter, with Latvia extending their lead to 82-48. Although Lebanon managed to outscore Latvia 22-27 in the fourth, it was too little, too late, as the Eastern Europeans put the game well out of reach.

Latvia's Dominance

Latvia's scoring was both balanced and efficient. Dairis Bertans had a standout performance, racking up 20 points in just over 15 minutes on the court, shooting an eye-popping 88% from the field. Not to be overshadowed, his brother Davis Bertans added 10 points to the scoreboard. Rolands Šmits had an impactful night with 17 points and 7 rebounds.

One of the most striking aspects of Latvia's game was their bench's performance, which was instrumental in maintaining the team's lead throughout the contest. Overall, the Latvians were on fire, converting 42 of 71 field goals (59%) and draining 18 of 35 attempts from three-point land (51%).

Lebanon's Struggles

For Lebanon, Wael Arakji and Sergio El Darwich were the primary scorers, posting 14 and 19 points respectively. Omari Rasulala Spellman chipped in with 18 points, but even their efforts couldn't save Lebanon from a poor shooting night. The team managed to shoot just 44% from the field and an even more disappointing 29% from three-point range.

Ball security was also a major issue for Lebanon, as they committed 14 turnovers compared to Latvia's 5. These mistakes, combined with poor shooting, prevented Lebanon from making any substantial inroads into Latvia's lead.

By the Numbers

Lebanon was outrebounded 34-27, underlining their difficulty in controlling the boards.
Latvia's superior teamwork was evident, as they notched 34 assists to Lebanon's 15.

Looking Ahead

Latvia will aim to build on this resounding victory as they look to go deep in the tournament. Lebanon, meanwhile, will need to regroup and address their shortcomings if they hope to compete effectively in upcoming games.