TWO big stunning results in last Sunday night’s matches underscored the unpredictability of the quarterfinals of the 19th FIBA World Cup.
Propped up by its near impeccable outside shooting, Lithuania eked out a 110-104 decision over the United States at the end of their Group J campaign in the second round.
Despite getting one over the fancied Americans, Green Death coach Kazys Maksvytis is not one to tell his charges to fall into the traps of complacency.
“We need to save our emotions and our effort for the next game. Just in two days, we’re starting the playoffs,” Maksvytis said.
“Congratulations to my players, but we need to have a short memory to prepare for the second game,” he added.
The Lithuanians take on the Serbians today as the knockout Last 8 of the global basketball extravaganza gets going at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Game time is set at 4:45 p.m., with the winner advancing to the semifinals.
The Canadians collide with a Luka Doncic-led Slovenia side in the quarterfinals tomorrow also at the Pasay-based venue.
Germany, which blasted Slovenia 100-71 in Group K in Okinawa also last Sunday, tackles Latvia in the other Last 8 duel.
The Latvians drubbed Brazil 104-84 in Group L in Jakarta to advance.
The US, ranked No. 2 in the world, hopes to lick its wounds fast and recover when it faces No. 10 Italy in the nightcap at 8:40.
The Azzurri ousted Puerto Rico 73-57, while the Eagles booted out the Dominican Republic 112-79 in Group I at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Although his team absorbed its first loss in the tourney, strategist Steve Kerr of the US men still gave plaudits for the grit they showed.
“Great basketball game. Lithuania obviously just came out of the gates on fire, made their first nine threes, took it to us. I love the way our guys fought back, played much better in the second half, competed like crazy, gave it a really good run, but it wasn’t enough,” Kerr said.
“It’s a great game for us to experience. This is FIBA. There are great teams that have continuity, that understand what they are doing, they execute. Lithuania was brilliant tonight, they deserved to win.”
Playing in a do-or-die tiff in Group L in Jakarta, Canada showed defending champion Spain the door with a thrilling 88-85 triumph.
“I congratulate Spain, a great program. They were tough tonight. We faced a lot of adversity. We had to start from the bottom, and now we’re here in the quarterfinals. It was a win where we all had to come together. Shai took us home, Dillon was amazing,” Road Warriors tactician Jordi Fernandez said. “At the end of the day, it was the definition of a winning team.
“We have to keep growing and believing, and we’re much better than this. They took us out of a lot of our stuff. Now we’re going to the Philippines thinking the same way– a lot of things to do, a lot of things to improve.”
