Lithuania, which survived the last second thriller – in the European Championship / News

Photo: BNS

Photo: BNS

Photo: BNS

Photo: BNS

Photo: BNS

The Lithuanian team (4-2), who walked on a knife, won a dramatic victory and became the last team to enter the 2022 European Championship.

Darius Maskoliūnas pupils in a bubble held in Vilnius after a dramatic fight 77:76 (25:19, 16:18, 17:23, 19:16) retaliated against Danish basketball players (2-4).

The Lithuanians lost the first match between group C 76:80.

After defeating the Danes, Lithuania came second with 4 wins and 2 losses in Group C and together with Belgium (4-2) and one of the championship organizers, the Czech Republic (2-4) won a ticket for the Old Man. Continent Championships.

At the end of the match, 9 minutes before the match, the score was even – 60:60, but the Lithuanians organized an important stage 15: 6 and after Gytis Masiulis put it from above 3 minutes earlier, they gained a 9- advantage of points (75:66).

Soon Philip Hertz scored 5 points in a row, Adama Darboe added a triple and in the minute the Danes breathe their opponents (75:77).

With 41 seconds to go, Jonas Zohore hit a penalty of two (76:77), the Lithuanian attack was inaccurate and Denmark had a decisive attack.

Taking the initiative, Darboe ran to the basket and threw the ball with one hand, but Mantas Kalnietis blocked the shot, rebounding and Lithuania triumphed.

The decisive mountain block:

“Without changing, the joy is more like a relief, we went out (to the European Championship) and that’s it,” commented Jonas Mačiulis, shaking his head after the match. – I did not see anyone jump from happiness the way we won. In the end, we did the work we needed and we look forward to the championship ”.

Man of the match

Effective transfers

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The most useful player in the Lithuanian ranks was Kalnietis, who became the hero of the last attack, scoring 11 points (1/1 dvit., 3/6 trit.) In 27 minutes, he bounced 1 ball, made 6 assists and scored 16 utility points.

Dan was not spared from defeat by unexpected reserve Kevin Larsen, who scored 21 points (5/8 doubles, 3/3 doubles, 2/3 penalties) in 31 minutes, bounced 6 and lost 2 balls, 4 times, 2 times he blocked an opponent’s throw and scored 23 utility points.

Gabriel Lunberg, who became a Lithuanian executioner in the first match and scored 28 points, and Darko Jukičius, who suffered an injury just before the bubble, were unable to help the Danish team.

In the first half of the game, Mindaugas Kuzminskas suffered a knee injury and did not return to the field after a medical examination. It soon became clear that the attacker had been taken to hospital.

After the match, the head coach of the Lithuanian national team Maskoliūnas declared that he expected and enjoyed the combativeness of his students.

“We expected a difficult match because the Danes were playing without any pressure on us. I am glad that the men did not give up in a difficult moment and fought, in some moments they were patient, in other cases they were not. The basketball gods were on our side, ”said the strategist.

At that time the Danish coach Erez Bittman has two thoughts in mind and, according to him, the end of the game was determined by small details.

„In the end, we were in a free kick, a rebound or a mistake for entering the European Championship. Now I am surrounded by double feelings, partly I am proud of my team, but I am very disappointed on the other hand, ”said Bittman.

Lithuania: Mantas Kalnietis 11 (3/6 trit., 6 res.), Tomas Dimša (2/4 trit.), Jonas Mačiulis (2/3 trit., 6 recit.) And Vaidas Kariniauskas (4/8 dvit.) After 10, Gytis Masiulis, Marekas Blaževičius (6/6 penalty) after 8.

Denmark: Kevin Larsen 21 (5/8 double, 3/3 trit., 6 reb.), Adam Darboe 20 (4/8 double, 2/6 trit., 6/6 penalty, 6 res. Ed., 4 vol..), Jonas Zohore (6/7 penalty, 10 sec.) and Philip Hertz (2/6 trit.) After 12.

Party press conference: