Other events in Baltic States

On June 8, the head coach of the Latvian national men's basketball team Ainars Bagatskis announced the candidates of the national team who will be preparing for this summer's qualification campaign for the 2011 European Men's Basketball Championships in Lithuania.

The list includes 23 players, as well Andris Biedrins, who currently plays for the NBA's Golden State ''Warriors''.

''The basketball players who were disqualified after last year's European Championships due to disciplinary reasons – Kristaps Valters and Armands Skele, will not be included on the roster. On the other hand, Kaspars Berzins and Andris Biedrins, who were given suspended disqualifications from the national team, also due to disciplinary reasons, will be allowed to play. If any of the previous discipline problems repeat themselves this year, players will be immediately thrown out of the national team's camp,'' Bagatskis explained.

Furthermore, the national team's coaching staff has also decided not to invite power-forward Kaspars Kambala to the national team's camp due the family problems the player has suffered this past year.

Veteran shooting-guard Sandis Valters has also not been included on the candidate list, who announced that he does not intend to play for the national team this summer.

Small-forward Kristaps Janicenoks is also out for Latvia due to health problems.

Veteran players Uvis Helmanis and Aigars Vitols are also out for Latvia this summer, as well as Gatis Jahovics, who wishes to prepare for the next club season.

The national men's basketball team will gather for its first practice on June 28.

Before August's qualification campaign begins, Latvia will play several exhibition games – on July 2 against the Latvian U-20 men's basketball squad, on July 10 and 11 against Poland in Ventspils (northwestern Latvia), on July 17 and 18 (away) against Ukraine, on July 25 (away) against Sweden, and on July 26 (away) against Estonia. On July 29, Latvia will play its final exhibition game against Russia in Moscow.

In the qualification campaign for the 2011 European Men's Basketball Championships, Latvia has been drawn in the same group as Israel, Finland, Italy and Montenegro. Each team will play each other twice, once at home and once away. The qualification campaign will take place from August 3 until August 29.

The first placed finishers in each of the three qualification groups, plus the top two second placed teams will qualify for the 2011 European Men's Basketball Championships.

The candidates list of the Latvian national men's basketball team is as follows: Janis Blums (''Bilbao Basket'', Spain), Janis Strelnieks (''Ventspils''), Rinalds Sirsnins (''Barons''), Edgars Jeromanovs (''Liepajas lauvas''), Janis Kaufmanis (''Valmiera''), Dairis Bertans (''Ventspils''), Mareks Jurevicus (''Ventspils''), Ingus Bankevics (''VEF Riga''), Akselis Vairogs (''JSA Bordeaux'', France), Kristers Zeidaks (''Fastweb Casalle'', Italy), Arturs Stalbergs (''VEF Riga''), Rihards Kuksiks (Arizona State ''Sun Devils'', United States), Ernests Kalve (''Ventspils''), Ivars Timermanis (''Barons''), Mareks Mejeris (''Liepajas lauvas''), Kaspars Berzins (''Fuenlabrada'', Spain), Ronalds Zakis (''Ventspils''), Rolands Freimanis (''Cajasol'', Spain), Pavels Veselovs (''Prostejov'', Czech Republic), Davis Rozitis (USC ''Trojans'', United States), Andris Biedrins (Golden State ''Warriors'', United States), Martins Meiers (''Ventspils'') and Raitis Grafs (''Siauliai'', Lithuania).