Lithuania put Sernius back in charge of women's team

KAUNAS (FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017) - Lithuania have put Mantas Sernius back in charge of their women's national team on a new four-year deal.

Sernius did an impressive job at the helm of the side in his first stint as head coach, leading the team into the Quarter-Finals of EuroBasket Women 2015. His Lithuania team then came within an eyelash of forcing overtime against Belarus but lost, 68-66.

Following Sernius's decision to leave the national side in order to take up an opportunity to coach in the men's game for Chinese outfit Shanxi Flame, Rimvydas Samulenas took the helm of the women's team but suffered three defeats in as many qualifying games for FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017.

Under Samulenas, the side lost at Baltic neighbors Latvia, 65-62. It then slumped to home defeats to Slovenia, 73-64, and Latvia, 87-81, to fall out of contention for a spot at next year's 16-team event in Czech Republic.

Lithuania's home loss to Latvia ruined their chances of qualifying for EuroBasket Women 2017

After the second setback to Latvia on 24 February in Kedainiai, the Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) and Samulenas parted ways. On Wednesday, the LKF announced Sernius would return.

His assistant at EuroBasket Women 2015, former Lithuania great Jurgita Streimikyte, will again be his number one assistant. She is to lead the team when it plays its final FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017 qualifying game away to Slovenia on 19 November since Sernius will still be in China.

FIBA