Valanciunas and Sabonis back for Lithuania as Adomaitis announces 15-player squad
VILNIUS (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - Expect to see a near full-strength Lithuania hit the floor in the June and July window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers.
VILNIUS (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - Expect to see a near full-strength Lithuania hit the floor in the June and July window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers.
Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas and Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis are both on the 15-player squad which was presented to the public on Thursday by coach Dainius Adomaitis.
| Lithuania 15-player squad for FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers | |||
| Eimantas Bendzius | Laurynas Birutis | Martynas Echodas | Rokas Giedraitis |
| Mindaugas Girdziunas | Marius Grigonis | Arturas Gudaitis | Adas Juskevicius |
| Mantas Kalnietis | Mindaugas Kuzminskas | Lukas Lekavicius | Jonas Maciulis |
| Domantas Sabonis | Renaldas Seibutis | Jonas Valanciunas | |
The likes of Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Jonas Maciulis and Arturas Gudaitis are also set to bolster the already-intimidating frontcourt, with Mantas Kalnietis and Lukas Lekavicius suring up the point guard position.
"Our main goal is to get the players who are healthy and can come to the national team. There is no point in including more players just for the sake of competition," coach Adomaitis told the media.
"We will narrow down the list to 13 players with one week before training camp starts. The first practice will take place on June 25."
Almost half of the squad announced by Adomaitis are players who served important roles for the national team during the November and February windows. Altogether, there are seven such players.
Among them, Eimantas Bendzius, who burst onto the scene in the European Qualifiers with flame-throwing performances against Poland and Kosovo, as well as up-and-coming big men Martynas Echodas and Laurynas Birutis.
"There are some players who earned national team invitations by playing well in the previous windows and there are some players who didn't have a chance to play, but we want them to have them on board," the head coach explained.
Not included in the squad are Zalgiris players Paulius Jankunas, Edgaras Ulanovas, Antanas Kavaliauskas and Arturas Milaknis, who were prescribed some rest after a busy season, and Donatas Motiejunas, who did not figure in coach Adomaitis' plans for the upcoming window.
One of six undefeated teams in the European Qualifiers, Lithuania have already secured a spot in the Second Round with a perfect 4-0 mark in Group C after successful play in November and February.
The next window will see the Baltic giants take on Poland in Gdansk on June 28 before visiting Hungary in Budapest on July 1 in the final game of the First Round.
FIBA