BELGRADE (Serbia) - Ignas Urbonas knows what it takes to win - twice being named as Most Valuable Player as Youth Basketball Champions League champion. Now he is trying to show that at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2025 with Lithuania - and end the country's wait for a title.
Lithuania are one of nine countries with two U18 EuroBasket titles - in 1994 and 2010 - and they have reached the podium eight times. But the most recent top-three finish dates back to third place in 2017.
"It makes me sad that Lithuania - a basketball country - was on the podium the last time in 2017. It gives me more motivation to get that medal," said Urbonas, who averaged 12.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in helping the team to a 3-0 record in the Group Phase in Belgrade.
Urbonas is playing for Lithuania for a third time after competing with his 2007-born generation at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023 and FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024. The Utena native is actually looking for his first positive ending to a national team event though.
Two summers ago, Lithuania lost to Spain in the U16 EuroBasket Semi-Finals and then fell to France in the Third Place Game to leave North Macedonia empty-handed. And then at last year’s FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, Lithuania were leading New Zealand by 10 points in the third quarter of the Quarter-Finals but ended up losing 73-65 to miss a chance to face the United States in the Semi-Finals.
"It gives us more motivation and anger to get that medal for the first time, because the first two tries were unsuccessful," said Urbonas, who averaged 10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists at that event.
Going through those experiences over the past two summers has helped Lithuania create a strong chemistry.
"We have built very warm and friendly friendships together within team. We've known each other for a long time. Some of us are (club) teammates, which gives us an advantage because we know each other even better. But we have a bigger team spirit than other teams," he said.
Urbonas knows success. He lived it the last two seasons at the club level with Rytas Vilnius; guiding them to back-to-back titles in the Youth Basketball Champions League in 2024 and 2025. Both times Urbonas was named as the MVP.
"That meant a lot to me, because all the hours I spent in the gym were slowly paying off," said Urbonas, who averaged 20.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 74 percent shooting in this season's YBCL championship run including 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in the Final.
"It gives me more confidence and approval that I'm on the right path."
Now the question is if Urbonas' path includes a run to the podium in Belgrade.
"I think this team has everything needed to be successful. We just need to play our game, stay together, listen to our coaches commands and everything will be alright."
That experience and extra motivation will come in handy too.
FIBA