MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The U.S. is going to the Paris Olympics next summer. Lithuania made sure that was the only good development for the Americans on Sunday night, when it pulled off a Basketball World Cup stunner. Vaidas Kariniauskas scored 15 points, Mindaugas Kuzminskas added 14 and Lithuania beat…
US forward Jaren Jackson, Jr. dives under Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas for a loose ball during their second-round match in Manila, Philippines Sunday, September 3, 2023 MANILA, Philippines — The U.S. is going to the Paris Olympics next summer. Lithuania made sure that was the only good development for the Americans on Sunday night, when it pulled off a Basketball World Cup stunner.
And the loss won’t necessarily hurt them in the World Cup medal chase, either. The U.S. will play a quarterfinal game on Tuesday, when the knockout stage for the final eight teams begins. Win Tuesday, win Thursday and win next Sunday, and the Americans are gold medalists. Lithuania has pushed the U.S. to the limit, and beyond, more than a few times. Lithuania lost to the Americans by nine in a preliminary game at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, then escaped with a two-point win in the semifinals — and remained unbeaten in the Dream Team Olympic era — when Sarunas Jasikevicius’ 3-point try as time expired fell short.
Lithuania made its first nine 3-point attempts and built an early 21-point lead, and the U.S. became Paris-bound in the third quarter when Serbia’s win over the Dominican Republic went final in an outcome that clinched an Olympic berth for the Americans.It took the Americans less than half of the third quarter — 4 minutes and 16 seconds — to cut what was a 17-point halftime deficit down to four, and the comeback attempt was on.
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