By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Spain fell to Latvia in the first qualifying match for EuroBasket 2025, and despite the tournament presence being at stake, the story of the game was the return to the court for Ricky Rubio.
Sergio Scariolo emphasized the importance of Rubio enjoying being on the court after a long break.
“The first game after such a long absence, obviously, seems like a promising game. Of course, with many errors and overall sluggishness, but he tried to help the team, made an effort, and enjoyed being on the court. Again, we’re talking about a player who hadn’t played for almost a year, and if we think about the previous injury, it’s ten real games in two years. He has a spark and a very good instinct, and he looks good. Hopefully, these games will put him more in rhythm to start with his club as well,” Scariolo said.
The coach of the Spanish national team also commented on his team’s loss, giving credit to the opponent.
“Latvia is a team with many shooters, a lot of three-point capability. Their statistics with their clubs, and their shooting percentages, are almost all very high. Then, each one does what they can, what the confidence at the moment allows. We could have defended some shots better, but some have been fantastic baskets. These are players who have made them in their history, so they make them.“