- You can check out the photos from the game in our photo gallery.
The beginning of the game was not much-promising for Serbia as they fell behind by double-digits early on (25-14). However, Serbia went on fire in the second period and destroyed the home team by 20-1 in one stretch that turned the game on its head as Serbia already led 34-26 at that point.
Serbia was still comfortably ahead mid-way through the final period with a 13-point lead at hand. However, Lithuania geared-up on defense and applied full-court pressure which gave results – Zygimantas Skucas scored four points and Deividas Pukis added five of his own later on to bring back Lithuania within reaching distance at 62-66.
Jonas Valanciunas cut the gap in two knocking down both free-throws comfortably and Vytenis Cizauskas tied the game at 66-all with a nice drive to the basket on the next possession.
Serbia had a possession of 40 seconds due to a foul by Dovydas Redikas and a jump-ball situation, but didn’t convert their chance to turn the balance their way. Zygimantas Skucas grabbed the defensive rebound and was hacked by a Serbian big man with 1.5 seconds on the clock.
Unfortunately for Serbia, the team had already used the foul limit in the last quarter and Skucas went to the line for two freebies, making only the first one – enough to give Lithuania a victory after Serbia couldn’t get off a proper shot after a rebound.
Vytenis Cizauskas scored 15 points to carry the Lithuanians to the final also adding 8 rebounds and 6 turnovers to the stat-sheet. Deividas Pukis scored 12, Dovydas Redikas and Zygimantas Skucas shared 11 each and Jonas Valanciunas finished the game with 8 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks.
