IZMIR (FIBA World Championship) - Lithuania has secured a controversial and dramatic 70-68 win over Canada. Jermaine Anderson had a chance to win the game for Canada on the final buzzer but his three pointer lipped off the rim.
 
Canada appeared to have the game secured midway through the third quarter when they led by 17, but the physicality of Lithuania at both ends of the court literally locked the Canadians down and set up the dramatic run that brought the 2000 travelling Lithuanian fans to fever pitch.
 
The hero for Lithuania was Tomas Delininkaitis who spearheaded the half court offence and added 11 points of his own. Linas Kleiza (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Martynas Pocius were also strong contributors.

Anderson has 15 points, 5 assists and 4 steals in an excellent display, supported by Joel Anthony (12 points, 5 rebounds) and Denham Brown (11 points).
 
Canada led by 10 at half time, securing their break with a fast start where they led 7-0 after less than 90 seconds.

The Canadians unpredictable trapping defence and transition offence was giving the structured Lithuanians trouble, shooters Andy Rautins and Brown with five points each in a 20-12 quarter time lead.
 
As with day one, Lithuania upped the physicality in the second quarter and created a half court affair. Behind Kleiza’s seven points for the quarter they closed to 29-32 with 3:31 to play in the half. But three consecutive field goals from Anthony, including a strong tip in, triggered an 11-4 Canada run to finish the quarter.
 
When Canada peeled off 13-6 in the first five minutes of the third term behind six points from Anderson the game was almost over at 56-39, but Delininkaitis sparked the Lithuanian surge that brought their fans to life, and Kleiza finished it, nailing a buzzer beating three to have Lithuania within two, 57-55.
 
While Canada hung tough in the final quarter, Lithuania’s half court execution was superior, and they managed to hold on in a thriller.

After the heart pounding win Lithuania's Mantas Kalnietis visited with FIBATV.Com.
 

Quotes

Leo Rautins (coach): A lot of credit to Lithuania, they played a really good game. They’re a real difficult opponent for us to play against. We tried a few different things, and I thought we did enough to win the game, but unfortunately in the end we didn’t get it done. With our team, every game at this level hopefully makes us better.
 
I haven’t seen Jermaine (Anderson) miss too many shots where he had the chance to win the game for us. He had a great game today.
 
Kestutis Kemzura (coach): We are just approaching each game. Results in this championship, a lot of people call surprises but they are not. The basketball level around the world is getting very, very close.
 
Canada played well, they played great. It took us some time to figure out the ways how to win. We got some good open looks and we missed, and we missed foul shots. Rebounding again – finally our guys got it, if you don’t get the ball you don’t win, and I think we did a better job of defensive transition in the second half of the game.

FIBA

Paulo Kennedy

On Twitter | On Facebook l On FIBA tv

ANKARA (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Greece prevailed 83-80 in a hard fought and exciting game at Ankara Arena.

Vasileios Spanoulis won his duel against JJ Barea, scoring half of his personal Greek National Team record 28 points in the final frame, including hitting all eight of his free-throw attempts in the last quarter.

There was little to separate both sides in a game that saw 22 lead changes and nine ties. It came down to Greece getting Puerto Rico over the foul limit and hitting from the charity stripe.

Barea and Carmelo Lee buried early three-pointers to put Puerto Rico – who were without injured star guard Carlos Arroyo – up 11-6 before Konstantinos Tsartsaris and Vasileios Spanoulis replied with long bombs of their own to edge Greece in front 14-13.

The teams went back and forth until Nathan Peavy connected from long range in the dying seconds of the period to put Puerto Rico up 23-21.

Tsartaris converted two three-point plays to put the Greeks up 28-24.

Barea then took over, scoring 12 of his 15 first-half points in the second quarter to give Manolo Cintron’s team a 41-35 lead at the break.

Ricardo Sanchez buried back-to-back three-pointers to put Puerto Rico up 47-38 early in the third quarter.

Greece answered with a 14-4 run, capped off by a Dimitris Diamantidis lay-up to lead 52-51 midway through the period. Ioannis Bourousis hit from beyond the arc to put the Greeks in front 59-56 heading into the final frame.

Barea got his team within 62-60 and then found Angel Vassallo for a wing three-pointer that had Puerto Rico in front 63-62.  Ramos pushed it to 65-62 but Spanoulis then hit from long range and Bourousis had a spectacular putback that made it 67-65 for Greece with six minutes remaining.

Carmelo Lee broke a 70 all deadlock with a wing three. However, Puerto Rico got over the foul limit and Spanoulis was clutch at the free-throw line, giving his side an 81-75 cushion with 32 seconds to go and they held on.

Quotes:

Jonas Kazlauskas (Greece head coach): “I’m happy with this team. We had some problems. One was the atmosphere and the other was facing bigger players. We changed everything in the second half.”

Ioannis Bourousis (Greece centre): “This was a tough game for us because Puerto Rico played very well. We shot well inside and out and they did too. It was a very good game.”

Manolo Cintron (Puerto Rico head coach): “This was a great game. There is no free-throw shooting (team) like Greece. They were great.”

JJ Barea (Puerto Rico guard): “It was a great game to watch until the fourth quarter. Greece are a great team. We couldn’t keep them off the foul line and they made their free-throws.”


FIBA

On Twitter | On Facebook l On FIBA tv