Latvia fights until the end, but Serbia prevails behind another legendary Jokic performance

Latvia pushed Serbia to the limit, but the Balkan powerhouse held on for an 84-80 win in Riga, despite boos from the crowd over a no-call on a rebound clash between Filip Petrusev and Davis Bertans in the final minute.

Rodions Kurucs hit a clutch three-pointer to bring Latvia within two with just under a minute to play. But an immediate foul on Nikola Jokic, followed by a rushed shot from Lomazs, sealed the outcome in Serbia’s favor.

Playing without Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia was once again carried by an extraordinary performance from Nikola Jokic, who finished with 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Marko Guduric added a well-rounded game with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Filip Petrusev contributed 12 points.

For Luca Banchi’s Latvia, Kristaps Porzingis recorded 14 points and 6 rebounds, Davis Bertans had a strong double-double with 16 points and 10 boards, and Rihards Lomazs chipped in 13 points.