Lithuanian basketball players suffered their first defeat in the 3×3 World Championship, and it was devastating.
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The Latvian team defeated the Lithuanians 22:13 and will continue their fight for medals, while the championship in Warsaw ended for the Lithuanians.
“We always fight with Lithuanians not only three against three, but also five against five,” said Nauris Miezis, one of the leaders of the Latvian team. “Moreover, this is revenge for yesterday’s Lithuanian victory in football.”
- In the Baltic Football Cup semi-final on Saturday, the Lithuanians defeated the Latvian team after a penalty shootout.
Before that, Aurelijus Pukelis, Evaldas Džiaugys, Ignas Vaitkus and Rokas Jocys enjoyed a four-game winning streak in the group stage in Warsaw.
The Lithuanian team, coached by Dainius Novickas, won the group stage, securing all four victories and advancing directly to the quarterfinals.
The Latvians, who played in another group, had to overcome another playoff stage, defeating New Zealand basketball players 21:19.
On Saturday evening, the fratricidal quarterfinal battle was fierce only for the first few minutes.
The Lithuanians started the match aggressively (3:1), but their active defense quickly accumulated fouls.
The Latvians took the initiative when our players failed to score a single point for several minutes in a very physical battle.
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The Latvians pulled ahead (10:5). Although the Lithuanians had narrowed the gap after A. Pukelis’ long shot (8:10), the Lithuanian team lacked accurate shots.
“Let’s get our heads in the game!” the Lithuanians urged each other during a timeout halfway through the match.
However, logical attacks were lacking, as was teamwork. The Lithuanians, who missed long shots, fell behind 10:16, and then broke down psychologically.
- Latvia won men’s 3×3 basketball gold in 2021.
- Lithuanian basketball players have won Olympic bronze medals, defeating Latvians in the battle for third place in 2024.
In the World Championship semi-final, the Latvians will face Serbia.
The world 3×3 basketball ranking leaders and multiple world champions, Serbs, defeated the 2024 Olympic champions Netherlands 21:19 in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
Other men’s quarter-finals will take place later on Saturday – Germany will play Austria, and France will play the USA.
Semi-finals and finals in Warsaw will take place on Sunday evening.
We remind you that the Lithuanian basketball players who competed there – Giedrė Labuckienė, Justina Miknaitė, Kamilė Nacickaitė-Van der Horst and Gabrielė Šulskė – finished their tournament battles on Saturday, when they lost 12:14 to the Azerbaijani team composed of Americans.
Our country’s women’s national team has not yet won medals in the World Championships.
The highest achievement of Lithuanian men in the World Championship is silver in 2022.
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