Before the European Championship, because of her young age, many people viewed Laura Kikuste primarily as a player for the future. It was expected that her real breakthrough would come next season.
But Laura decided not to wait.
She gradually settled into the first games of the tournament, gained confidence, and then stepped up when her team needed her most.
The Biggest Game — The Quarterfinal Against Hungary
Laura’s defining moment came on August 19 in the European Championship quarterfinal against Hungary.
Latvia was fighting for a place in the semifinals, and Kikuste played her best game of the tournament at exactly the right moment.
In 21 minutes, she scored 17 points and grabbed 3 rebounds, while shooting an outstanding 6-for-7 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range — 80%. Her efficiency rating was 18.
What was particularly impressive was that all 17 of Laura’s points came in the first half. Her outstanding performance helped Latvia defeat Hungary 75–69 and advance to the European Championship semifinals.
This was the moment when the young Latvian stopped being simply a promising player and announced herself on the European stage.
Laura’s Tournament Statistics
Laura played 7 games at the European Championship, averaging 18.7 minutes per game.
Her final tournament statistics were:
- 6.8 points per game
- 4.2 rebounds per game
- 0.8 assists per game
- 1.0 steal per game
- 0.2 blocks per game
- 40% from the field
- 60% on two-point attempts
- 28% from three-point range
- 66.7% from the free-throw line
Overall, Kikuste finished the tournament with 41 points, 25 rebounds, 5 assists and 6 steals.
However, her contribution cannot be judged solely by her tournament averages. Laura’s impact grew as the championship progressed. After a relatively quiet start, she produced a strong performance in the Round of 16 against Romania, scoring 9 points, and then delivered her best game against Hungary — 17 points and an efficiency rating of 18.
The Important Role of Daiga Žvirble
It is also important to recognize the people who have been part of Laura’s development from the beginning.
Kikuste is a product of Latvia’s Rīdzene basketball system, where she built an important foundation for her future development.
A particularly important figure in Laura’s development is Daiga Žvirble, the coach under whom Laura began her basketball journey.
Laura has been fortunate to have good coaches around her. At the early stages of her development, she was given the opportunity to progress gradually without unnecessary pressure, before moving on to higher levels of competition.
That combination — a strong basketball school, quality coaching and a large amount of game experience — gives a young player the opportunity not simply to have one good tournament, but to gradually turn potential into consistent performance.
Excellent Work by Head Coach Elvis Brokāns
Special recognition should also go to Latvia U16 head coach Elvis Brokāns.
Brokāns had an excellent European Championship from a coaching perspective. In particular, he did a very good job with his rotation and distribution of roles throughout the tournament.
One of his best decisions was the way he used Laura Kikuste.
Brokāns did not rush to give Laura a major role at the beginning of the championship. She was allowed to gradually adjust to the level of international basketball, gain confidence and understand the demands of the tournament.
Then, when the decisive games arrived, her role increased.
And that decision paid off.
In the Round of 16 against Romania, Laura already played 17 minutes and scored 9 points. In the quarterfinal against Hungary, she played 21 minutes and delivered an outstanding 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting, including 4-for-5 from three-point range.
That is what good coaching is about: not simply having a talented young player, but recognizing the right moment to give that player greater responsibility.
In Laura’s case, Brokāns read the situation extremely well and found the right moment to put her in a position to make an impact.
What Comes Next?
Laura was born on October 28, 2010, and remains a very young basketball player. At 185 cm, she has the size and skill set to continue developing as a forward and has significant potential for the future.
That is why the next two seasons will be extremely important for her.
After a European Championship like this, interest in Laura will undoubtedly grow. Clubs, colleges and universities looking for promising European players are likely to follow her development closely.
But right now, the most important things are full recovery from her injury and continued work.
One of the most impressive aspects of Laura’s tournament was that she continued to compete despite a serious injury to her little finger. She refused to give up and continued to help her national team.
For such a young player, that is a strong indication of her character, commitment to basketball and dedication to her team.
Now the most important thing is not to relax after one successful tournament.
Laura needs to continue working, develop her shooting, physical abilities and decision-making, and become an increasingly consistent player.
Considering her age, potential, game experience and the opportunity to work with coaches such as Daiga Žvirble and Elvis Brokāns, Laura Kikuste should be considered a serious candidate for the Latvia U18 national team in the future.
And from there, we hope she can continue the journey — from U18 to U20 and, ultimately, to the Latvian senior national team.
The U16 European Championship showed one thing clearly:
Laura Kikuste is no longer simply a player for the future. She has already started to make her mark today.