LTU - Going for the gusto

PALANGA (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Lithuania are only thinking about achieving one result when they travel to Slovenia to play at EuroBasket 2013.

The Baltic giants, now under the leadership of veteran tactician Jonas Kazlauskas, are aiming to reach the top of the podium.

That's according to big man Donatas Motiejunas, a player who is expected to make his senior team bow at the tournament that tips off 4 September.

"We have to win it all," the 2.13m center said in Palanga, where the national side has been having its workouts.

"That is why we are here.

"All the work has been done with an exceptional mood. The coach is pushing in order to move us in the direction of winning."

Motiejunas, a native of Kaunas, was a rookie in the NBA last season with the Houston Rockets.

In 44 games, he averaged just over five points in 12 minutes an outing.

It's unclear if Kazlauskas will use him at center or power forward, but Motiejunas doesn't care.

"It doesn't make much of a difference," he said.

'If a coach sees that in any position I can help the team more, I'll go out there and play."

Motiejunas is 22 years of age.

He was 10 when Lithuania captured the gold medal at EuroBasket 2003 in Sweden.

While the goal for Lithuania is to go all the way, at bare minimum they expect to finish in the top six to clinch a place at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

If Spain are in the first six, then a top seven finish will get the team to next year's event.

Lithuania will play in Group B against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Serbia, Montenegro and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD).

FIBA