Lithuania made a strong recovery following their defeat against Serbia, securing a convincing win over Slovenia (100:82) in their quest for the best possible position at Mundobasket.
Leading the Lithuanians to victory was the outstanding Jonas Valanciunas, who achieved a double-double performance.
Valanciunas was the top scorer with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Kuzminskas contributed 14 points.
On the opposing side, Luka Doncic was the most efficient player for Slovenia, with 29 points. However, he struggled with his shooting, going 7/21 from the field and 4/13 from beyond the arc. Mike Tobey, the new addition to Red Star Meridianbet, contributed 13 points and nine rebounds.
The game remained close during the first quarter, with Lithuania making a late surge in the last minute, securing a double-digit advantage (33:21). Slovenia attempted to regain their rhythm and close the gap several times in the second quarter, at one point coming within single digits (47:43). However, Lithuania reestablished a double-digit lead by the end of the second quarter (53:43).
The gap was maintained in the third quarter, and the outcome was effectively determined by a 14-4 run in the final quarter, with Lithuania extending their lead to 92:69. They ultimately closed the game with composure.
Lithuania’s national basketball team will now compete for fifth place at Mundobasket against Latvia, who had earlier defeated Italy (87:82).
