Lithuania’s Result at FIBA World Cup 2019

Contrary to previous years, no teams were automatically placed into the FIBA World Cup, so all FIBA Europe nations had to participate in qualifications. On November 3, 2017, the national team candidates list was published that did not included any NBA or EuroLeague players.

On November 20, 2017, the national team members arrived to Palanga, and on November 23 the team has traveled to Pristina, Kosovo from the Palanga International Airport for their first qualification game versus the Kosovo national team in the Palace of Youth and Sports. Lithuania won the game 61–99 by starting to crush the Kosovans in the third quarter. On November 26, 2017, Lithuanians also crushed their second opponent Poland national team 75–55 in Klaipėda to perfectly finish the first phase of the group stage. On February 2, 2018, list of the roster for the second qualification window was published. On February 19, 2018, the team gathered in Palanga. On February 23, 2018, Lithuanians narrowly defeated Hungary 80–75 in Klaipėda. On February 26, 2018, they crushed Kosovo yet again. On May 31, 2018, list of the roster for the third qualification window was published, which included Lithuanian NBA and EuroLeague players. On June 25, 2018, the strengthened team gathered in Kaunas. It crushed Poland in Gdańsk 79–61 and Hungary in Budapest 73–50. On September 3, 2018, team roster for the fourth qualification window was announced. Prior to the qualification games, Lithuania national team lost a friendly game to the Latvia national team 80–97, but later after defeating the Croatia national team 84–83 in Osijek and Netherlands national team 95–93 in Vilnius it qualified to the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.

Lithuania won three and lost two, during this tonument and came in ninth at overall ranking of this World Cup.

“It was a good victory but this is not what we expected because we expected to go further. What happened happened. We just have to look at what is in front of us and see what is left. We have a lot of changes to make now. We still do not know who is going to be the next coach. We have to look forward to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and get ready for it.” – Lithuania center Jonas Valanciunas

“I think the players have shown that they respect this game – basketball. Thank you to them. Thank you to the fans because this game was about them.” – Lithuania coach Dainius Adomaitis