2024-07-06 18:39:13
On Friday evening, after one of the last training sessions at the “Jose Miguel Agrelot” arena, the Lithuanian national team’s basketball players met with their most loyal fans.
About 100 fans gathered near the arena to chat, take pictures and have fun, spending time with the brightest Lithuanian basketball stars with big smiles.
Domantas Sabonis received enormous attention – almost all the people gathered asked the NBA star to take a picture and sign his shirt.
Rokas Jokubaitis also received words of encouragement from the fans – the defender was urged not to get nervous and enjoy his time on the basketball court, while the fans said that they believe in his abilities.
Lrytas.lt talked to two fans who are watching the Olympic basketball selection.
Andrejs Justinavičius came from Kaunas and said that his time in Puerto Rico is particularly fun for him.
“I came from Kaunas. It was a long journey, we are all tired, but we manage to rest on the spot. It’s quite fun. Yesterday we were in the central street of the city, where people are celebrating and dancing. When we drive with a taxi, everyone sees, says that basketball, matches, you are from Lithuania, you are cool fans. Wherever you go, you see Lithuanians everywhere, everyone greets and laughs. It’s a lot of fun,” said Andrei.
When asked if it was scary to go on such a long journey, Andrei did not hesitate.
“No. So what? With friends – it’s fun everywhere, with the national team – everyone sings the same songs, we speak the same language. Everything is fine,” said the Lithuanian.
Lithuanian Laura Čekytė was also met, who in 2011 emigrated from Lithuania and has been living in Puerto Rico for 13 years.
The expatriate Lithuanian said that tickets to the Olympic basketball selection are expensive for an ordinary resident of Puerto Rico.
“I myself am from Puerto Rico, I am like a local, but I will always remain in Lithuania. I have been living in Puerto Rico since 2011, and it only takes 15-20 minutes to get to the arena, so I decided to come and support the national team.
If for an ordinary local fan – yes, the tickets are expensive. Because if you want to sit with the pigeons on the third floor, the tickets are not expensive (25 US dollars), but if you want to sit downstairs, with all taxes, it costs about 120 US dollars per person, so if you want to go watch the game in 3-4, it costs a little money ( smiles – ed.)”, said the Lithuanian.
“We won’t have to live on rice and bread for half a year, but it’s okay, we’ll survive. I sent the photos to my company colleagues, you can continue to be here and we will work for you (smiles – ed.)”, said fan Andrejs about the money spent.
When asked about the chances of the Lithuanian national team, the fans believed in victory, but there is a feeling of anxiety after the first two matches against Mexico and Ivory Coast (DKK).
“We hope that everything will be fine, that we will manage not to repeat the same mistakes that have always been made (smiles – ed.). for the team to prepare and the fans, the sixth player will support the national team. Ofcourse! We need to reserve seats to Paris, we are all buying tickets”, Andrejs said with hope.
“I hope so. But deep in my heart, I’m afraid, because if they play the way we played with Ivory Coast, I’m a little afraid. I will not sit in the arena. The man reminded me of a T-shirt, but I said that T-shirt. I was in Lithuania, I was always for the Lithuanian team, and if we lose, I will go and cry in the corner and that’s it,” Laura did not hide her anxiety.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas, the captain of the Lithuanian men’s basketball team, also sent a message to the visiting fans.
“Thank you all very much for donating your time, money, and nerves to support us. We feel you and it helps us. I believe that on Sunday we will all be able to celebrate together”, – the captain.
The funny thing is that Laura, a local Lithuanian, had a bet with her husband a good 12 years ago, who now wears a specially made T-shirt, symbolizing the fact that the interviewed Lithuanian woman won the bet against her husband.
“The betting was that when Puerto Rico was playing against Lithuania in Venezuela, we were sitting at our friends’ house in Puerto Rico, and because I’m a big basketball fan… we started arguing with the men that we were going to win, and our Puerto Rican men said, if not, Puerto Rico will win. After that we asked if they wanted to bet, they agreed because they thought they would win.
We made a bet that the jersey should be either him or me – the team that wins plays better basketball. His shirt now reads: “My wife told me to wear this shirt because Lithuania plays better basketball.”
Of course, the man forgot about that bet, but I didn’t. As soon as he found out that we were going to play in Puerto Rico, we immediately ordered the shirts. At first he didn’t see anything on the back, but on Wednesday during the game he said: “What’s written on the back?” I said, “Don’t you remember the bet?” and he said no and said he’s not going to, I can’t perform like that against Puerto Rico.
The two of them came to the match with a friend wearing those shirts. I said that we are going to the Lithuanian zone, and he shot back: “We are going somewhere deeper”, and I said that we are going to the Lithuanians, so that everyone will see that you lost the bet”, Laura told in detail.
July 6 is a special day for Lithuania, as it is the national day. Her fans will remember her in Puerto Rico as well.
“We will sing the national anthem at 2 p.m. at the main entrance stairs, because at that time it will be 21:00 in Lithuania. we all exchange numbers, who we know, who we don’t… we’ll scream. My dad Mindaugas is also there, July 6 is special for him – he celebrates it, calls me and says that he is the king”, concluded fan Laura.
2024-07-06 18:39:13