LTU/USA – USA prevail in thrilling final rehearsal

RIGA (2011 FIBA U19 World Championship) – In the game of the day dubbed a dress rehearsal of what many expect to be this Championship's final, the USA showed that their loss to Lithuania prior to the tournament had been nothing more than an accident.
 
The Americans started the stronger of the two sides to be sitting comfortable for most of the opening stanza. Every time that the Baltic team would threaten, NCAA champion Jeremy Lamb would kill the Lithuanian’s hopes with some impressive inside and outside shooting.
 
In the third quarter Lithuania was able to overcome what had built up to a 19 point deficit to trail by just two points. However, a rising steal and turnover count prevented them from actually breaking through and allowing the Americans to once again gain a significant lead.
 
Lithuania’s problems were further exasperated by the loss of starting point guard Vytenis Cizauskas, who was not able to overcome an ankle injury sustained in his side’s victory over Serbia a day previous. Sitting on the bench in street clothes he could only watch on helplessly with his team evidently missing his playmaking skills.
 
Lithuania kept it close and with five minutes left to play they had reduced the lead to six before Deividas Pukis and Edgaras Ulanovas combined with Jonas Valanciunas who went to the basket, grabbing the foul on the way. He then converted the free throw to bring the score within three (89-86), bringing the predominantly Lithuanian crowd to its feet.
 
Lamb was not done however, responding with an equally impressive play to put the gap back out to six points. He then stepped up once more with a piece of individual brilliance, sinking his layup to increase the lead to eight with 37 seconds remaining.
 
But Lithuania - once again strongly supported - were not quite ready to surrender as Valanciunas and Dovydas Redikus claimed quick baskets to bring the gap back to two with seven seconds to play. Drawing a foul on the next play Patric Young had the chance to win the game for the USA from the free throw line. Both his shots missed with Lithuania pouncing on the rebound and moving the ball rapidly down court, scoring with two seconds remaining. Calling a timeout, the USA regained the ball at halfway, hoping to get off one more shot. But Redikus was able to steal the ball and offload a shot from halfway. With the wayward shot missing the FIBA U19 World Championship was about to experience its second overtime finish.
 
It was at this point that American center Young showed his true value. Lithuania quickly ran up a six point lead but Young hit back, claiming two dunks and three free throws in the space of two minutes to put the USA back in front; a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.

The USA remain unbeaten and are the first confirmed team through to the quarter finals with their final pool game coming against Croatia on Wednesday. Lithuania face Egypt in their final pool game and will in all likelihood move into the quarter finals as the second ranked team from Group F.

FIBA