EuroBasket - Lithuania complete Semi-Final line-up, book World Cup spot

LJUBLJANA (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Lithuania qualified for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup on Thursday by knocking off Italy 81-77 at EuroBasket 2013 and set up a Semi-Final showdown with Croatia on Friday.

Mantas Kalneitis and Renaldas Seibutis both scored 17 points while Jonas Maciulis added 13 points as Lithuania used a 15-0 fourth quarter run to return to Europe's final four for the first time since 2007 when they went on to take bronze.

"We're very happy to beat such a great team," said Martynas Pocius, who added 11 points in the winning cause. "A little pressure is off. We finally passed the Quarter-Finals. The key was the fourth quarter."

Lithuania coach Jonas Kazlauskas said the game was anyone's to take.

"It was a difficult game for us. I cannot say that someone controlled the game," he explained. "In the end, we found where we are strong, used those positions and we won."

Italy were paced by Marco Belinelli's 22 points while Alessandro Gentile had 15 points.

"I am very proud of my players. They played a very good basketball game. They left everything on the court," said Italy coach Simone Pianigiani.

Darjus Lavrinovic scored five points as Lithuania jumped ahead 9-2. The Baltic side increased that margin to 22-12 late in the first quarter. Gentile’s late pulled the Italians to within 22-15 after one quarter.

Travis Diener came off the bench with seven points as Italy fought back and scratched to within 27-24. Seibutis scored four straight points for Lithuania and a 36-28 lead. But Belinelli and Andrea Cinciarini combined for all 11 points in an 11-4 Italy run and the underdogs were within 40-39 at halftime.

The Azzurri scored first in the second half for their first lead of the game but Lithuania went on a 10-3 run for a 50-44 cushion. Italy bounced right back with a 12-3 surge as Cinciarini scored six points in helping Italy move ahead 56-53. The Italian advantage was 58-57 after 30 minutes.

Lithuania held Italy scoreless for the first six minutes of the fourth quarter and scored 15 unanswered points to take control of the game with a 72-58 lead. A triple by Belinelli and three foul shots by Gentile brought Italy to within 76-70. But Lithuania made free throws down the stretch to ensure the win.

For full and in-depth coverage of EuroBasket 2013, go to the official website http://www.eurobasket2013.org.

FIBA