LTU/TUR - Hosts dodge bullet against Turkey

PANEVEZYS (EuroBasket 2011) - Lithuania's partisan support roared them on to a 75-68 victory over Turkey in the best game on Day 3 of the EuroBasket.

Taking on the side that clinched silver at last year's FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, Kestutis Kemzura's side played their second close game of the tournament after their opening struggle against Great Britain.

Big center Omer Asik had 11 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks and Ersan Ilyasova scored a game-high 20 for Turkey, but they fell at the end.

Turkey led by as many as eight points in the battle of unbeatens but Lithuania never allowed the visitors to pull away.

The host nation took the lead for good when Rimantas Kaukenas snapped a 67-67 tie with a basket 1:18 from the end.

Lithuania big man Darius Songaila was then called for an unsportsmanlike foul on Emir Preldzic but the Fenerbahce man made just one of the two free-throws he was presented with.

Turkey retained possession but Preldzic ended up missing a lay-up.

Songaila then went to the other end and drew a foul and made both shots from the stripe and the press by Lithuania that followed didn't allow Preldzic to get the ball across half-court before eight seconds had ticked off the clock, turning the ball back over to the home side.

Leading the way for Lithuania's balanced attack was Songaila with 12 points, with Simas Jasaitis and Kaukenas pouring in 11 apiece.

Lithuania's bench also provided 33 points while Turkey's scored just 16.

Turkey are now 2-1.

FIBA