Latvia's roster for EuroBasket confirmed

RIGA - After center Ilja Gromovs was cut from Latvian national basketball team today, the team's roster for this year's European Men's Basketball Championship has been finalized.

The Latvian team had an unofficial practice on Monday; power forward Kristaps Porzingis also participated in the practice, albeit just for a little while, LETA observed.

The team will leave for Turkey on Wednesday, and Latvia's first match at this year's EuroBasket will be on Friday.

Porzingis injured his knee during an exhibition game against Lithuania on August 19, but the injury is said not to be serious.

This will be the seventh EuroBasket tournament for the team's skipper Janis Blums, who has participated in the European Championships since 2005. This will also be the seventh EuroBasket for shooting forward Kristaps Janicenoks, however, he missed the 2011 EuroBasket due to an injury.

Dairis Bertans, Janis Strelnieks and Martins Meiers will participate in their fourth EuroBasket tournament, while for Davis Bertans, Janis Timma and Zanis Peiners, this will be their second EuroBasket tournament. Finally, Porzingis, Rolands Smits, Andrejs Grazulis and Aigars Skele will play at the European Championships for the first time.

As reported, EuroBasket 2017 will take place from August 31 to September 17 in four cities - Istanbul (Turkey), Helsinki (Finland), Tel Aviv (Israel) and Cluj Napoca (Romania).

Latvia will play in Group D in Istanbul against the hosts, Serbia, Russia, Belgium and Great Britain.

Latvia will open the tournament on September 1 against Serbia.

The top four teams in the group will advance to the tournament's knock-out phase.

Latvia's EuroBasket roster is as follows:

Janis Strelnieks (Pireaus Olympiacos, Greece), Dairis Bertans (Milan EA7 Emporio Armani, Italy), Janis Blums, Martins Meiers, Ilja Gromovs (all - VEF Riga), Zanis Peiners (Thessaloniki PAOK, Greece), Aigars Skele (Ventspils), Kristaps Janicenoks (without club), Andrejs Grazulis (Perm Parma, Russia), Arturs Ausejs (Liepaja/Triobet), Janis Timma (Baskonia, Spain), Ojars Silins (Trento Dolomiti Energia, Italy), Rolands Smits (Fuenlabrada Montakit, Spain), Kristaps Porzingis (New York Knicks, NBA), Davis Bertans (San Antonio Spurs, NBA).