LTU – No Valanciunas, no problem for Lithuania

PANEVEZYS (Global Games| FIBA U19 World Championship) – Lithuania proved to be too hard to stop for Australia, as the hosts of the tournament took another victory in the Global Games tournament despite playing without star Jonas Valanciunas once again.

Although the Lithuanian big man had already returned to the country after a couple of days on the other side of the pond for the NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the fifth pick, Valanciunas wasn’t even in the arena as his teammates defeated the Australian team 80-70 even without the team’s star.

“The guy has spent 30 hours in the air having flown to the States and back. We want him to rest a little,” Lithuanian coach Kazys Maksvytis explained why Valanciunas’ name wasn’t in the lineup.

It didn’t prove to be a problem for the Lithuanians as the home side ran away already and took an early 20-7 lead in the first quarter mainly due to a terrific performance on the defensive end.

Australia, who had some problems of their own, with starting point guard Mitchell Norton out of the World Championship with a broken foot, were forced to play catch-up, but didn’t come within striking distance despite having the momentum on their side for a couple of times.

However, the Emus, with 22 points from Mitchell Creek, couldn’t turn it around, as Lithuania’s trio of Zygimantas Skucas, Dovydas Redikas and Vytenis Cizauskas stepped up in the clutch moments. Skucas top-scored for Lithuania and ended the game with 18 points, as both Redikas and Cizauskas ended the game with 14 each.

Next in line to take on the Lithuanians are the mighty strong USA, who will have to play a different Lithuania on Tuesday, as Jonas Valanciunas should already be in the lineup for the Baltic team.

“We’re now really waiting for Jonas to join us. We’ll be looking to challenge Team USA in a couple of days,” said Lithuanian coach Maksvytis, who will announce the final squad for the 2011 FIBA U19 Word Championship on Sunday.

In the other games in the Global Games tournament, Brazil won the South American derby against Argentina 77-71, while the World Championship hosts Latvia defeated the Canadian team 79-61.

Sunday’s games in the Global Games tournament will include USA’s game against the Lithuanian U20 team and Canada will take on an Australian challenge, as both teams will be looking to bounce back after defeats on Saturday.

FIBA