Lithuania beat the United States on the 1998 world championships, then didn’t medal. Lithuania then beat the US once more on the 2004 Olympics, then didn’t medal.
And historical past will repeat itself at this World Cup.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 18 of his 21 factors within the first half as Serbia – motivated by a critical damage endured by one in all their gamers – topped beforehand unbeaten Lithuania 87-68 within the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday in a consequence which means Lithuania can’t medal in Manila this weekend.
The greatest Lithuania can do now could be fifth place.
“The game against the United States, as you can see now, it’s nothing,” mentioned Lithuania’s Tadas Sedekerskis, who led his group with 14 factors.
“It’s just history. We don’t have any chances to fight for the medal.”
Serbia performed with ahead Borisa Simanic’s jersey draped over a chair of their bench space.
Simanic misplaced a kidney after being elbowed in a sport towards South Sudan final week. He wanted surgical procedure after that sport, and issues prompted docs to function once more Sunday and take away the broken kidney.
“He texted us this morning,” Bogdanovic mentioned. “He texted us, ‘Hey, guys, I’m all right. After two surgeries, I’m all right. I’m healthy. Just get the win. Don’t think about me and let’s win tonight.’
“It was an enormous enhance and large vitality tonight, so due to Borisa. This was additionally for him.”
The loss continues a peculiar jinx for Lithuania, who are 3-8 all-time against the United States at the senior men’s national level – and have turned those three wins into exactly zero medals.
Lithuania were playing less than 48 hours after beating the US 110-104 to close out second-round play in Manila.
But after Tuesday’s loss, Lithuania insisted they weren’t still revelling in beating the Americans.
“I can assure 100 per cent that we forgot it,” Sedekerskis said.
Serbia (5-1) will play Canada or Slovenia in Friday’s semi-finals.
The Canada-Slovenia quarter-final is on Wednesday with the loser meeting Lithuania (5-1) in the consolation playoffs on Thursday.
Teams cannot medal after losing in the quarter-finals, but will play two more games before leaving Manila to determine fifth through eighth place in the tournament’s overall standings.
Serbia are in the semi-finals for the third time at the last four World Cups. They lost to Turkey in the last four of the 2010 tournament (and then fell to Lithuania in the bronze-medal game) and lost to the US in the title game of the 2014 event.
Filip Petrusev scored 17 points and Stefan Jovic added 11 for Serbia.
Rokas Jokubaitis had 13 factors and 9 assists, whereas Jonas Valanciunas and Ignas Brazdeikis scored 11 apiece for Lithuania.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
