Lithuania launched their EuroBasket 2025 campaign with a 94-70 victory over Great Britain in Group B action on Wednesday at the Tampere Deck Arena.
The Baltic side trailed 5-0 in the opening minutes before responding with a 12-0 surge that flipped momentum early. By the end of the first quarter, Lithuania held a 23-15 advantage and never looked back.
Great Britain managed to cut the deficit to single digits late in the second quarter, but their push was short-lived. Rokas Jokubaitis connected on Lithuania’s first three-pointer two minutes into the third, sparking a decisive 15-2 run that pushed the lead to 20.
Jonas Valanciunas anchored the win with 18 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 7-of-13 from the field. The veteran center controlled the paint as Lithuania collected 13 offensive boards and 57 rebounds overall.
Azuolas Tubelis added 17 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting, while Rokas Jokubaitis contributed across the board with 12 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Margiris Normantas also scored 12 points, going 4-of-5 on two-pointers and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line.
The bench made an impact as well, with Arnas Velicka posting 10 points and 6 assists in 22 minutes, and Rokas Giedraitis adding 7 points and 6 rebounds. Collectively, Lithuania registered 22 assists on 35 made field goals.
Great Britain’s offense struggled at 32.8 percent shooting, though Akwasi Yeboah kept them competitive with a team-high 17 points, including three triples. Tarik Phillip had 10 points and 3 assists, while Myles Hesson chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds.
Luke Nelson, despite scoring 7 points, went just 1-for-9 from the field, and GB’s backcourt combined for 16 turnovers against Lithuania’s defensive pressure. Amin Adamu provided a spark with 9 points off the bench on 50 percent shooting.
Despite shooting just 2-of-19 from beyond the arc, Lithuania dominated inside, converting 64.7 percent of their two-point attempts. Their control on the glass and defensive pressure forced 16 British turnovers, sealing the outcome well before the final buzzer.
Quarter scores reflected Lithuania’s steady control: 23-15, 18-18, 24-17, and 29-20.
With the result, Lithuania top Group B at 1-0, while Great Britain drop to 0-1. Next up, Lithuania face Montenegro on August 29, while Great Britain meet Finland on the same day.
