Latvia coach bats for FIBA World Cup assists king Arturs Zagars

MANILA, Philippines – Latvia’s head coach Luca Banchi provided a stellar review of point guard Arturs Zagars after the team’s fifth place finish in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, as the latter seeks a club to play with to further his skills in international basketball.

Now in his lonesome in the FIBA record books as the player with most assists in a single game with 17 dimes against Lithuania on Saturday, Zagars was on the receiving end of much praise from the Italian mentor.

More than his record-breaking feat in their blowout win over Lithuania in their final game of the World Cup, Banshee chose to look at Zagars’ performance in the country’s first-ever bid in the tournament.

“I don’t wanna judge just a specific performance, I’m more into the tournament. I believe Arturs played a solid tournament with a big responsibility. He was in big shoes, as we used to say, because it’s his first time in a World Cup, first time as a starter in a men’s national team, in such a competition, you know, replacing an iconic player like Janis Strelnieks, [it’s] not easy,” said Banchi after the game.

“Second game, we lost our captain [Dairis Bertans] and our point of reference on the court, but he continued to produce good basketball and to help the team to stay at this level of performance and proving that he can compete with the best and he can help Team Latvia to compete with the best team in the planet.”

Not only Zagars but the whole Latvian national team impressed in the World Cup, as they were one game-winner short of making it into the semifinals in their debut performance against finals-bound Germany.

As they now turn toward the future after an impressive run in the highest tournament of international basketball, Banchi hopes for more opportunities to grow for his talented point guard.

“It’s just the first step, the next is to find a job for this guy because I believe he deserves [it] and he’s not like me, he’s young, you know, so, I’m old and I have to rest but this guy is young and he needs to play so let’s hope he finds finally a job and but I told you, I believe Arturs played a solid tournament and together with his teammates, he did an excellent job to keep the team performance no matter who the opponent,” said the coach. 

“And you know, we played with style and that’s what I like and now it’s time to not miss the direction, we talk many times about this, staying humble and continuing to generate improvements,” he added.

Though currently a free agent, Zagars previously played for Nev?žis K?dainiai of the Lithuanian Basketball League until earlier this year.