By Rimas Kurtinaitis’s decision, eight main national team players and four reserve team members were not registered for the match.
Donatas Motiejūnas, Augustas Marčiulionis, Mindaugas Kačinas, Regimantas Miniotas, Karolis Lukošiūnas, Laurynas Beliauskas, Justas Furmanavičius, Kristupas Žemaitis, Nojus Radžius, Modestas Kancleris, Matas Repšys, and Ignas Urbonas were thrown into the fight.
Rest was given to Ąžuolas Tubelis, Marekas Blaževičius, Gytis Radzevičius, Dominykas Stenionis, Matas Jogėla, and Osvaldas Olisevičius.
“We chose the lineup so that some players who have played more, like Ąžuolas Tubelis or Dominykas Stenionis, who also helped the reserve team, would get rest. Meanwhile, candidates who spent less time on the court in Alytus will have the opportunity to get additional playing minutes. We continue preparing for the FIBA qualifying matches, so it is important for us to involve every player and continue refining tactical and other aspects,” said R. Kurtinaitis before the game.
The team with such a lineup struggled to cope with the leaders of the University of Arizona – Ivan Kharchenkov, Derek Dixon, both Lithuanians.
Arizona students went on a 9:0 run at the end of the first quarter, and the Lithuanians trailed 15:23. In the second quarter, the deficit reached double digits (15:26), but by halftime it was reduced – 40:43.
At the beginning of the third quarter – another slump. After gaining a double-digit lead again (41:53), the Arizona team maintained it until the last seconds, although the Lithuanians managed to threaten with modest spurts.
I. Kharchenkov scored 30 points for the guests, Motiejus Krivas scored 15 points in 22 minutes (5/8 two-pointers, 1/1 three-pointers, 2/2 free throws), grabbed 9 rebounds, blocked 4 shots, and made 2 assists.
Ugnius Jaruševičius scored 14 points in 18 minutes (3/4 two-pointers, 0/1 three-pointers, 8/9 free throws), grabbed 8 rebounds and made 1 steal, as well as 1 block.
The top scorer for the Lithuanian national team was Augustas Marčiulionis, who scored 15 points.
Lithuania: Augustas Marčiulionis 15 (3/11 two-pointers, 2/3 three-pointers), Laurynas Beliauskas 12 (3/5 three-pointers), Mindaugas Kačinas 11 (5 rebounds), Regimantas Miniotas 9 (6 rebounds).
University of Arizona: Ivan Kharchenkov 30 (5 rebounds), Motiejus Krivas 15 (9 rebounds, 4 blocks), Ugnius Jaruševičius 14 (8 rebounds), Derek Dixon 13 (6 assists).
We remind that on Thursday in Kaunas, the Lithuanian main national team lost to the Estonian team 108:110 after overtime, while the reserve team proved superiority over the University of Arizona students 99:88 on Wednesday in Jonava.
GAME PROGRESS:
40 min. Arizona students win the game. Final score 74:88.
39 min. M. Krivas grabs the ball on offense and draws a foul. After his free throws – 69:84. M. Kačinas reduces the difference – 71:84. M. Kačinas steals the ball from M. Krivas and provokes an unsportsmanlike foul by the Lithuanian from Arizona – 73:84. K. Lukošiūnas misses a three-pointer wide open.
38 min. Teams exchange missed attacks.
37 min. R. Miniotas struggles against M. Krivas’s defense, and D. Dixon sinks a long shot. Lithuanians respond with another mistake – 69:82.
36 min. I. Kharchenkov powerfully breaks through and scores his 30th point – 69:79.
35 min. J. Furmanavičius’s drive to the paint – 69:77.
34 min. I. Kharchenkov increases the difference with free throws – 62:77. Lithuanians respond with a two-pointer, and L. Beliauskas hits from afar – 67:77.
32 min. M. Krivas scores, I. Kharchenkov scores, but points are also collected by A. Marčiulionis and L. Beliauskas – 62:73.
31 min. DMo foul on offense, but DMo soon steals the ball. D. Motiejūnas scores the first points of the quarter after A. Marčiulionis’s assist – 57:69.
30 min. D. Dixon sinks a three-pointer, and Lithuanian attacks are fruitless – after three quarters Lithuania trails 55:69.
29 min. I. Kharchenkov continues unstoppable… 52:63. N. Radžius draws a foul shooting from afar – 55:63. M. Krivas hits from distance… 55:66.
28 min. I. Kharchenkov scores two points with a foul and explodes with roaring emotions – 52:61.
26 min. M. Kačinas sinks a three-pointer – 48:57. M. Kačinas adds two free throws – 50:57. But I. Kharchenkov reminds about himself, scoring his 20th point – 50:59.
25 min. Derek Dixon rages one-on-one… 45:57.
24 min. K. Žemaitis breaks the scoring drought – 43:53.
23 min. For more than 3 minutes, Lithuanians did not score a single point from the game, so the University of Arizona regained a double-digit lead – 41:53.
22 min. Arizona starts the third quarter more successfully. After B. James’s three-pointer – 41:49.
20 min. A. Marčiulionis sinks a three-pointer, but the quarter ends with M. Krivas’s dunk – 40:43.
19 min. N. Radžius makes an impressive behind-the-back pass to Donatas Motiejūnas in a fast break.
18 min. M. Krivas flicks the ball over DMo with a hook shot – 35:39.
17 min. U. Jaruševičius blocks R. Miniotas’s shot. The Lithuanian from Arizona is excellent – he already has 10 points. With 3 minutes left until halftime – 35:35.
16 min. 6/11 – such is the Lithuanian three-point shooting after R. Miniotas’s long shot, score 33:31.
15 min. Two more points from K. Žemaitis – 30:28.
14 min. Arizona struggles, and K. Žemaitis extends the Lithuanian run with a long shot, tying the score – 26:26.
12 min. M. Krivas blocks D. Motiejūnas’s shot. Lithuanians defend several times and strike with three-pointers from K. Lukošiūnas and DMo. A. Marčiulionis steals the ball and runs into a fast break – 23:26.
11 min. M. Krivas impressively blocks J. Furmanavičius’s dunk, and I. Kharchenkov sinks his third three-pointer – 15:26.
10 min. At the end of the quarter – again unsuccessful Lithuanian attacks, and the quarter ends with Ivan Kharchenkov’s three-pointer – 15:23.
9 min. Arizona students go on a 7:0 run and gain a 6-point lead – 13:19.
7 min. A. Marčiulionis’s three-pointer in the last second of the attack reverses the score – 13:12.
6 min. Points from L. Beliauskas and A. Marčiulionis, but Lithuania trails 10:11.
5 min. M. Krivas opens up and Arizona leads 5:9.
4 min. L. Beliauskas hits a three-pointer over the hands – 5:7.
3 min. The first five Lithuanian attacks are unsuccessful – finally M. Kačinas hits from mid-range – 2:4.
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1 min. Bryce James scores the first points of the game.
