JAKARTA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Latvia notched a hard-fought 74-69 victory over defending champion Spain in the second group phase match of the 2023 FIBA World Cup here on Friday.

With five players finishing in double digits, Latvia's Davis Bertans tallied a game-high 16 points, while Rodions Kurucs contributed 13 points and eight rebounds to the win. Willy Hernangomez scored 14 points for Spain.

Latvia played strong at both ends. Adopting a person-to-person defense, especially in the second half, Latvia gave Spain limited opportunities to shoot. Both teams showcased their toughness defensively, as they combined for 50 fouls throughout the game.

Although Spain ended the third quarter 58-47 ahead, the deficit was cut into a tie into the final quarter, where Latvia came out strong to maintain a five-point edge which they kept to the end.

"It was a very tight game, with 14 lead changes during the game," said Latvia head coach Luca Banchi in the post-game press conference, adding that defeating such a powerful team had made him very proud.

Spain's defeat saw the end of the team's 11-game winning streak in FIBA World Cup matches.

"Congratulations to them. They played with good concentration to the very end," said Spain head coach Sergio Scariolo.

"In the final quarter, we let them play too easily. We need efficiency. Let's move on to the next one," he added. Enditem

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