National teams around the world continue their preparation for FIBA World Championship 2010 in Turkey with less than a month left till the tip-off. Lithuania met with Slovenia in a three-team tournament in Spain, the hosts being the third team in the tournament.
Neither of the two teams had all their stars available for this summer. Slovenians had a slightly stronger start and kept the lead for most of the first half with Goran Dragic, Bostjan Nachbar and Primoz Brezec causing troubles for the opposition’s defence.
The main threat for Slovenia came from Lithuania’s front line as three big men finished in double digits for the Baltic nation. Kestutis Kemzura gave playing time for 13 players and all of them left the court with at least two points. Martynas Pocius and Giedrius Gustas were not registered for the game as the main battle for the last spots on the team are among guards.
The game could have gone either way or even went to overtime had Slovenians hit the buzzer beater. In the end it was a tight 86-84 win for Lithuania.
It was the third preparation game for Lithuania, a third win as well. Meanwhile Slovenia suffered their third loss in seven games, though in some games they didn’t have key players on their roster.
Lithuania will now take on Spain today. The hosts will entertain Slovenia on Sunday.
86 – (21+19+27+19) – Lithuania: *Robertas Javtokas 14, *Linas Kleiza 13, Paulius Jankunas 11, *Mantas Kalnietis 9, *Martynas Gecevicius 7, Tomas Delininkaitis 6, Simas Jasaitis 5, Mindaugas Lukauskis 5, Tadas Klimavicius 5, Martynas Andriuskevicius 4, *Jonas Maciulis 3, Renaldas Seibutis 2, Arvydas Eitutavicius 2.
84 – (23+15+25+21) – Slovenia: Goran Dragic 21, *Bostjan Nachbar 15, Sani Becirovic 14, *Primoz Brezec 11, *Jaka Lakovic 5, Hasan Rizvic 5, *Uros Slokar 4, Gasper Vidmar 4, *Samo Udrih 3, Goran Jagodnik 2.
