A smile is the best therapy in times of crisis and Latvia's national team has been providing plenty of them at the EuroBasket Women.

The Baltic nation has been among the worst-hit countries by the international financial crisis.

After years of economic boom, Latvia has the highest rate of unemployment growth in the European Union, with their numbers having tripled since the onset of the economic doldrums.

"Things are hard," Latvia's star Gunta Basko said.

"But we try to deliver good emotions to others as maybe it helps to forget how difficult things are."

One only has to step into the Arena Riga to feel the good vibrations that Ainars Zvirgzdins' ladies project from the court.

Thousands of basketball fans of all ages and backgrounds celebrated Latvia's clinching of a place in the Quarter-Finals as hosts.

Unity has been Latvia's main weapon in their 4-1 start and Basko believes that will also be important for her nation to come out of the crisis.

"It helps to be cohesive," Basko said.

"We want Latvia to be as cohesive as our team, as penguins are when they're together.

"Maybe people will start to believe in themselves, and in a good outcome."