Lithuania stifles Nikola Vucevic and Montenegro to advance at 3-0
The anticipated European showdown for group supremacy lasted for 40 minutes; however, Coach Kazys Maksvytis’ team managed to limit Montenegro to only 23 points in the latter half, securing a convincing 91-71 victory and claiming the top spot in Group D.
With an unblemished 3-0 record as they move into the Second Round, Lithuania is now poised to compete against the United States and the victor between Greece and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Montenegro also progresses, albeit with a 2-1 record.
The matchup was expected to showcase a clash of dominant big men, yet both Nikola Vucevic and Jonas Valanciunas had relatively subdued performances, considering their exceptional capabilities.
Stepping into the spotlight was Rokas Jokubaitis, asserting his presence with 19 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds as the point guard.
“He’s a very important guy to us, our point guard, young kid who needed to get confidence,” Lithuania head coach Kazys Maksvytis talking about Jokubaitis.
“After the first games, we knew that he could play, and he had a good last couple of games and we hope that he will continue with the same pace and the same level throughout the championship.”
Watch the game highlights between Montenegro and Lithuania in the First Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023:
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