Colorado University Athletics
Latvia Places 12th At U20 European Championships For Women
July 21, 2007 | Women's Basketball
SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Colorado sophomore Aija Putnina had a team-high 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds as Latvia dropped a 68-56 decision to Belarus in the final game of the 2007 European Championship for Women-Division A in Sofia on Sunday.
The loss gives Latvia a 12th place finish in the tournament, completing play with a 3-5 overall record. Latvia had a 45-43 lead after three quarters, but Belarus closed the game with a 25-11 run in the final frame. Latvia made just 4-of-18 (22 percent) from the field in the fourth quarter and was held to 26 percent for the game (18-of-68).
Putnina, who averaged 2.9 points and 4.3 rebounds for the Buffaloes as a freshman in 2006-07, led the tournament field with five double-doubles in eight games and also topped all players in free throws made and attempted (57-of-72, .792). Putnina ranked second in rebounding (11.0 rpg), sixth in blocked shots (1.5 bpg) and eighth in scoring (16.6 ppg).
Greece 71, Latvia 64
Saturday, July 21
Putnina registered her tournament-best fifth double-double, but poor field goal shooting haunted Latvia once again as Greece claimed a 71-64 win in the bracket for ninth through 12th place Saturday at the 2007 European Championship for Women-Division A in Sofia.
Putnina had 20 points, on 6-of-12 from the field and 8-of-10 from the line, and 11 rebounds Saturday but as a team Latvia was limited to 33 percent from the floor (21-of-63) while their counterparts hit 51 percent (24-of-47).
Latvia (3-4) will play its final tournament game on Sunday as it will face Belarus (2-5) to determine 11th and 12th place.
Besides leading the tournament in double-doubles, Putnina also tops the tournament field in free-throws made and attempted (51-of-66, .773), ranks second in rebounding (11.4 rpg), sixth in blocked shots (1.6 bpg) and ninth in scoring (16.3 ppg).
Bulgaria 65, Latvia 58
Thursday, July 19
Putnina had 19 points and 10 rebounds, but cold overall shooting doomed Latvia in a 65-58 setback to host Bulgaria in the final game of championship round qualifying Thursday at the 2007 European Championship for Women-Division A in Sofia.
Putnina recorded her fourth double-double of the championship and hit 5-of-10 from the floor and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line, but Latvia as a team was held to just 27 percent from the floor (18-of-66) and made just one of 10 3-point attempts. Bulgaria on the other hand shot well from 2-point range hitting a solid 52 percent (24-of-46).
The loss puts Latvia in the bracket to decide ninth through 12th place at the championship. Latvia will face Greece and Bulgaria will face Belarus on Saturday with the winners meeting to decide ninth and 10th place and the losers meeting to decide 11th and 12th place on Sunday.
France 70, Latvia 60
Wednesday, July 18
Putnina was limited to just two points and one rebound in 10 minutes as Latvia fell to undefeated France, 70-60, in the second game of championship round qualifying Wednesday at the 2007 European Championship for Women-Division A in Sofia.
France played well from the perimeter, shooting 50 percent from the 3-point line (10-of-20) while Latvia made just 18 percent (2-of-11) from downtown. Lativa didn't fare much better closer to the basket shooting only 34 percent for the contest (18-of-53) while France was solid making 49 percent overall (25-of-51).
Latvia, 3-2 overall and 2-2 against group qualifying teams, will face Bulgaria (0-4 against group qualifying teams) on Thursday in the final qualifying game. Latvia still has a chance to compete for the European championship, but must beat Bulgaria Thursday and receive help. A loss would likely put Latvia in the consolation round to settle fifth through eighth place beginning July 21.
Lativa 52, Germany 51
Tuesday, July 17
Putnina hit a pair of free-throws with 10 seconds remaining in the game to lift Latvia to a 52-51 win over Germany in championship round qualifying at the 2007 European Championship for Women-Division A in Sofia.
Putnina just missed her fourth double-double of the tournament registering 17 points and nine rebounds. Latvia outscored Germany 19-8 in the final quarter with Putnina scoring seven points during that run including the team's final four points in the last 1:30 of the contest.
"It was very difficult to take those free throws," Putnina told FIBAEurope.com. "I had missed three free throws earlier so I am very relieved that they went in. This victory means a lot to us because we really want to go far in this tournament."
Putnina continues to lead the tournament field in rebounding at 14.5 per game and is also fourth in scoring at 18.3 per contest.
Lativa, 3-1 overall and 2-1 against group qualifying teams, will face France (2-0) in its second of three qualifying round games on Wednesday.
Latvia 80, Turkey 74
Sunday, July 15
Putnina registered her third-straight double-double to help the Latvia National Team to an 80-74 win over previously undefeated Turkey in pool play at the 2007 U20 European Championship for Women-Division A in Sofia.
Putnina had 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds as Latvia (2-1) advances to the championship qualifying round and will play Germany (2-1) on Tuesday in the first of three qualifying round games. Twelve teams in two divisions comprise the qualifying round with two from each section advancing to the European Championship semifinals on Saturday, July 21.
Latvia 76, Czech Republic 66
Saturday, July 14
Putnina had a tournament-best 25 rebounds to go along with 23 points in leading the Latvia National Team to a 76-66 win over the Czech Republic Saturday in pool play at the 2007 U20 European Championship for Women-Division A in Sofia.
The Latvian defense held the Czech Republic (0-2) to just 29.6 percent from the field (16-of-54). Putnina logged 16 of her 25 rebounds on the defensive end and leads the overall tournament field with 19 rebounds per game. On the offensive end, Putnina once again scored most of her points from the free-throw line, hitting 14-of-17 from the charity stripe. She was 11-of-13 from the line Friday against Italy and leads the tournament in free throws made and attempted.
Italy 71, Latvia 65
Friday, July 13
Despite a double-double by Putnina, the Latvia U20 National team fell to Italy, 71-65, to open pool play at the 2007 U20 European Championship for Women-Division A on Friday in Sofia.
Putnina, a native of Riga, scored 20 points, including an impressive 11-of-13 from the free-throw line, and grabbed 13 rebounds in 36 minutes. Italy's Giorgia Sottana led all players with 26 points.
Putnina, who averaged 2.9 points and 4.3 rebounds for the Buffaloes as a freshman in 2006-07, is a veteran of several European Championships for her native Latvia. In 2006, she averaged 16.9 points and 10 rebounds per game to lead the Latvia U18 Junior National Team to a fourth place finish at the UMCOR U18 European Championship for Women ? Division B, in Chieti, Italy. In 2005 she led Latvia to a third place finish at the FIBA U18 European Championship averaging 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.5 blocks and she averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds per game for Latvia at the 2004 U16 European Championships and was the tournament's fourth-highest scorer.
