Kemzura: 'It will be difficult to reach the final'

The first details of the Lithuanian national team preparations for EuroBasket 2011 were revealed in an official press conference held by the Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF) on Thursday. It was announced that the hosts of the upcoming tournament will start preparing for the European Championship on July 18 with a training camp in Druskininkai.

Klaipeda will host the first friendly game of the national team on August 4, where the Lithuanians will welcome Slovenia. All together, nine friendly matches will be played in Klaipeda, Moscow, Madrid, Kaunas, Panevezys, Ljubljana and Vilnius.

“The preparation period will be similar to the one we had leading up to the World Championship, because the format of the tournament will be really similar,” said the team’s coach Kestutis Kemzura, who didn’t want to reveal the list of candidates to make the team yet.

However, according to coach Kemzura, none of the players he talked with said no to the national team and Darius Songaila, who missed the last couple of international tournaments, will also be amongst the 18 players listed.

“The core will remain the same from the team that played in Turkey, but we’d like to add some experience. Everything will be clearer when the season finishes,” Kemzura told the media.

As it could have been expected, the LKF has set the bar really high for the team – to make it to the final. However, finishing amongst the six strongest teams would also be acceptable.

“I can’t say that the goals are unrealistic. They are indeed high and accomplishing them will be hard. The expectations are really high and that is understandable. It will be difficult,” said the national team’s coach.

The coach reminded that Lithuania will have to do without Linas Kleiza, but still has a glimmer of hope that a miracle could happen and the leader of the national team would recover for the EuroBasket.

“Linas’ importance to the team can be illustrated by how we ran only one play during a tough stretch in our game against China – give the ball to Linas and spread out. And that worked. His loss is very painful,” Kemzura explained.

Training camps:

• July 18-23: Druskininkai
• July 24 – August 6: Palanga
• August 16-23: Kaunas
• August 25-28: Vilnius

Friendly games:

• August 4, Klaipeda: Lithuania – Slovenia
• August 6, Klaipeda: Lithuania – Czech Republic
• August 10, Moscow: Russia – Lithuania
• August 14, Madrid: Spain – Lithuania
• August 18, Kaunas: Lithuania – Spain
• August 19, Panevezys: Lithuania – Russia
• August 20, Panevezys: Lithuania – Latvia
• August 24, Ljubljana: Slovenia – Lithuania
• August 27, Vilnius: Lithuania – Georgia