All-conquering Lithuania qualify for FIBA 3x3 Nations League 2022 Final after winning Europe East Conference

KAUNAS (Lithuania) - Host Lithuania enjoyed double delight after capping off the FIBA 3x3 Nations League 2022 Europe East Conference in style on July 26-28 to book tickets to the Nations League Final in Constanta, Romania, on September 14-16. 

 

In the men's, Lithuania entered in a near impregnable position after winning two of the first three stops in June.

But they missed Justinas Ramanauskas, who was lights out previously, and the competition had improved as the Conference recommenced with Ukraine, who had won stop 3, upsetting Lithuania en route to going all the way in stop 4 (mostly thanks to conference top scorer Yakiv Titov).

But Ukraine fell away after that as Lithuania regrouped and finished off the tournament with a bang in stop 6 with a big 19-12 win over Estonia, who had finally hit their straps with a surprising victory in stop 5. 

Lithuania proved they had impressive depth of young talent with Rokas Maciulis colder than a Lithuanian winter. 

In the women's, Lithuania were looking to continue their flawless run in stops 1-3 but this loomed as a big challenge without 16-year-old basketball prodigy Juste Jocyte, who had been unstoppable in June. 

Without 'Double J' and a sub, the team still proved incredibly difficult to beat.

They fell short in stops 4 and 5 before finishing off the tournament with a thrilling 17-16 victory over Poland, who missed out on a third straight triumph and finished second on the overall standings. 

The 22-year-old Egle Zabotkaite stepped up with the conference top scorer deadly from deep to ensure Lithuania didn't miss a beat. 

 Standings

Men

1. Lithuania 520 points
2. Ukraine 430
3. Poland 420
4. Latvia 410
5. Estonia 380

Women

1. Lithuania 550 points
2. Poland 480
3. Latvia 440
4. Ukraine 370
5. Estonia 320

The 2 Lithuanian teams join Japan's men and China's women (winners of the Asia Conference), Rwanda's men and Kenya's women (winners of the Africa South Conference), Czech Republic U21's men and Lithuania U21's women (winners of the U21 Europe East Conference) and Mongolia U21's men and Japan U21's women (winners of the U21 Asia Conference), who also qualified for the Nations League Final.

The Nations League makes a quick return on August 2-4 in Szolnok, Hungary, in stops 4-6 of the  Europe Central conference.

FIBA