ISTANBUL (2010 FIBA World Championship) – A frantic finish looks to be on the cards on the last day of the Eight-Finals at the FIBA World Championship.

Six places have been taken for the last eight with just two still up for grabs.

Lithuania will open Tuesday’s proceedings against China before Brazil face Argentina in the nightcap.

The Lithuanians, despite having won all five of their games in Group D, know that upsets happen.

And coming off a EuroBasket in which they won just once, nothing can be taken for granted.

The streak has been a breath of fresh air for the Baltic country and their passionate fans.

The Lithuanians looked to be on the decline in Poland last year.

They have plenty of reasons to be cautious.

China have an exciting new coach in Bob Donewald and a re-energized Yi Jianlian.

No-hopers before the start of the tournament, China have done nothing but give their fans hope because of the never-stop-fighting approach they employed in Group C.

“My guys showed a lot of life and fight in all the pool games, the Group C games,” Donewald said. "I told my guys, 'You deserve to be here in the last 16. I couldn't be any prouder that they are learning, and fighting."

China like to run and so do the Lithuanians, so don’t be surprised if both teams put up big numbers.

In the second game, Brazil’s moment of truth has arrived.

Do they have what it takes to beat an opponent when the stakes are high?

Brazil are playing beautiful and smart basketball under their coach Ruben Magnano, the Argentinian who led his own country into the 2002 final and to the gold medal two years later at the Athens Olympics.

However, Argentina now have one of the most respected coaches on the international scene in Sergio Hernandez, a man who bleeds albiceleste.

"What most concerns me is that they (Brazil) play good basketball," Argentina star Luis Scola said to FIBA.com.

Brazil have the excellent Caja Laboral connection – point guard Marcelo Huertas and big center Tiago Splitter.

Scola once played at the club in Spain, too, and is good friends with Splitter, who is moving to the San Antonio Spurs next season.

"I hope Tiago will not be very inspired,” Scola said.

“We all know Tiago. We know he's a great player. It's going to be complicated.”

Brazil are loaded.

They have tough-defending Alex Garcia, sweet-shooting Marcus Vinicius, Guilherme, explosive scorers Leandro Barbosa and Marcelo Machado and top rebounder Anderson Varejao, who missed the first three games with an ankle injury but has returned to the line-up.

Scola said: "They play very well with Marcelinho (Huertas). I think (Anderson) Varejao is still trying to find a place where he feels comfortable in the team. As soon as he finds that place, he's going to be very important for them.

"They also have other players that we are extremely familiar with like Alex (Garcia), Marcelinho (Machado), Guilherme.”

Had Argentina won their last Group A game against Serbia, they would have faced Croatia but instead defeat to Dusan Ivkovic’s side and second place has thrown them into a clash with their South American rivals.

Fabricio Oberto, who’s had gastroenteritis and didn’t play but in just one Group A game, will return for Argentina.

FIBA

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