On Saturday, 3rd of August, a total of 16 youth teams competed at the first-ever Sāga 3x3 Basketball Cup that took place in Ulbroka, on the shopping centre Sāga basketball court. A quartet from Riga, Čības, won the first prize in U12 girls’ category, and representatives of Barca Juniors from Riga were the best in the U14 boys’ category. For the players of these ages this was a unique opportunity to participate in the tournament of the Olympic 3x3 basketball standards.

At the time when Latvian 3x3 basketball national team: Nauris Miezis, Kārlis Pauls Lasmanis, Francis Gustavs Lācis and Zigmārs Raimo successfully compete in the Olympics in Paris, the young 3x3 basketball players from Riga, Valmiera, Ogre, Talsi, Garkalne, Salaspils, Rūjiena, Jūrmala, Cēsis, Rēzekne, Gulbene and Ludza had the opportunity to learn much more about the 3x3 basketball, for example to complete the offence in 12 seconds.

In the U12 girls’ group (born in 2012 and younger), an excellent tournament had and five games out of five were won by the Riga quartet Čības: Elza Kalēja, Marta Aleksāne, Liliāna Kolesnikova and Rūta Knipše. They won Citas meičas from Ogre by 8:4 in the finals. The bronze prize was won by Zvaigznes from Riga.

In the U14 boys’ group (born in 2010 and younger), a similar series of success was implemented by the Barca Juniors quartet: Stefans Mežals, Arnolds Krieķis, Emīls Ozols and Oskars Zinčenko. In the finals, they won against another team from Riga, 4 Fun, 14:10. Third place was won by Ručītāji from Valmiera.

The three-point shooting contest with the former Latvian national basketball team player Kristaps Valters was won by Samanta Ščerbinska (Jugla) and Pēteris Pudāns (4 Fun). A special surprise was made to the best sniper of the boys’ competition, who was challenged for super-finals by the still excellent three-pointer master Valters. A series of additional shots was needed to determine that in shots with the classic 3x3 basketball gear, the 6th size Wilson ball, the most accurate one was Valters.

The free-throw contest of the Her Take movement established by the Latvian women’s basketball team players Aleksa Gulbe, Paula and Digna Strautmane was won by Amēlija Lejaskraukle (BK Garkalne) and Gustavs Ķirsons (Astotais rajons).

Sisters Strautmane congratulated Marta Aleksāne (Čības) and Arnolds Krieķis (Barca Juniors) as the best Her Take players.

The top scorers were Laura Strēle (Zvaigznes) and Niks Mass (4 Fun).

“For many young players this was their first opportunity to compete in the international 3x3 basketball format. The most difficult thing was to adapt to the pace of the game as only 12 seconds are allowed for the offense. I am sure that experience gained in this tournament will facilitate much easier following and understanding the events in the Paris Olympics 3x3 basketball matches,” emphasized Renārs Buivids, head of the Varenie runči basketball club, the tournament organizer.

“S/C Sāga is proud to welcome the young 3x3 basketball talents on its basketball court. The atmosphere of the event was great, which was developed by joy, excitement and support provided to the players by the audience” comments Inese Rītele, S/C Sāga Head of Marketing and Communication. “We would like to say thank you very much to the tournament organizer Renārs Buivids of Varenie Runči, the event moderator Haralds Kārlis, the initiators of Her Take movement for the support and promoting healthy lifestyle, and also to everyone who contributed to the event! Positive energy that we gained provides us with great expectations for the future when thinking about the Sāga 3x3 basketball cup in 2025.”

An abundant prize fund was formed by presents from the shopping centre Sāga and the shops operating in it (Rimi, Decathlon, Būvniecības ABC) and Her Take supporters (Fazer, Tērvete and Ezītis miglā of Sigulda).

Sāga is a family-friendly lifestyle shopping centre, which unites shopping for home and garden, recreation, sports, wide range of health and beauty services as well as modern office premises. Sāga is the first shopping centre in Latvia with a specially created Food Hall concept, a unified area of restaurants and cafés with an outdoor terrace.

The tournament was organised by SC Sāga in cooperation with the basketball club Varenie runči, which invites to participate in the next two youth tournaments in Saulkrasti already this week: for U12 group boys on 10 August and U14 group girls on 11 August.

The informative supporter of the Sāga 3x3 basketball tournament is 3x3BasketballDealer, the only specialised 3x3 basketball media in Latvia. Information about this tournament is summarised in the section “3x3basketballdealer.lv/saga”.

Sāga 3x3 Basketball Cup

U12 group, girls (born in 2012 and younger)

1. Čības (Liliāna Kolesnikova, Elza Kalēja, Marta Aleksāne, Rūta Knipše);

2. Citas meičas (Amanda Pence, Elīza Beļūna, Linda Ervalde, Grēta Mize);

3. Zvaigznes (Laura Strēle, Elizabete Tenisa, Marta Valaine).

U14 group, boys (born in 2010 and younger)

1. Barca Juniors (Stefans Mežals, Arnolds Krieķis, Oskars Zinčenko, Emīls Ozols);

2. 4 Fun (Niks Mass, Adrians Veinbergs, Pēteris Pudāns);

3. Ručītāji (Valters Kaupe, Ričards Kreilis, Roberts Bikovskis, Kristians Juris Martinsons).