2024-08-05 22:16:40
In the quarter-final match held on Sunday, the Lithuanians defeated the Polish basketball players 21:15 after a tough fight.
The debutants of the Olympics, who reached the semi-finals, will face the Dutch national team, which they disappointingly lost to in the group stage by one point.
“There is definitely that stress, the heart is pounding, but everything should fall. Unreal support, at first everyone was in groups, now everyone stands together, you see those flags – fantastic. The atmosphere is fantastic,” coach D. Novickas said after the victory in the quarterfinals.
His students started the confrontation with the Poles under pressure, but later they threw the burden off their shoulders and began to distance themselves from their rivals.
At the end of the match, the control of the match belonged to the Lithuanians, and everything was crowned by the victory dance after the final siren.
What has changed for the Lithuanian national team since the start of the games marked by two defeats?
“The ball is moving, there are no more hasty decisions, unnecessary combinations. Of course, children’s mistakes, unrepentance. I like teamwork and confidence, the same Šarūnas Vingelis catches so much that it’s easier for the big ones”, reasoned coach D. Novickas.
After leaving the arena on the Santravė square, the national team of Lithuanian trios shared a hug, and the coach urged his players in a short motivational speech: “Who are the best?” We are!”
In the semi-finals of the trio basketball team, D. Novicka’s students will face the well-known Dutch team on Monday.
This national team punished our team a little earlier in the selection tournament, and in the Olympic Games, the opponents celebrated the victory with a one-point advantage – 19:18.
“Worthy de Jong,” the Lithuanian coach answered when asked what the Dutch’s main weapons are. – When we played in the group, we made the same mistake, we covered W. De Jong, but left Arvin Slagter, who hit two free three-pointers. A similar system needs to be used and players supervised. We will try to hurt the Dutch.”
In the next semi-final of the Paris Olympic Games, the national teams of Latvia and France will meet. Both matches and the final and bronze medal matches will take place on Monday.
– What will this day look like until the semi-finals? D. Novicka was asked.
– Ordinary seventh day – we return, have procedures, sleep, eat and play the next evening. We will look at the records, rest and speeches, psychologists. But I think everything should be fine now, we should enjoy.
– What do you think about Š. Wingelis’ trip to the Olympic Games? His start was difficult, and now he is one of the leaders of the national team…
– I believed in him from the beginning. He had already finished his career. In a boarding house, he didn’t do sports anymore. But I know what kind of arm he has, but as a whole team we pushed him, pushed him and finally pushed him.
– As a coach, are you satisfied when you see the Lithuanian national team playing like this? Is this already your team, as you imagine?
– Maybe it will sound banal, but 70 percent. We need to clean up all the defenses where we make mistakes, even children’s mistakes, but they are decreasing, because now we are not in a hurry. We have free throws, misses, misses, but it shows character, everything is in order, there are no more hasty decisions, then it is more difficult for the opponents to defend.
– From the amateur courts in Vilnius, on Monday you will already be standing in the semi-finals of the Olympics. Did the dream come true?
– No no. A medal, a medal… Yes, one came true, but we went for that medal, and now that’s all that’s missing, you can’t change your mind, thanks to all the men with whom we’ve been doing sports since February, without them we wouldn’t be ready, thanks to the fans, the federation, association. Emotions are good because we have already achieved the smallest goal.
– It’s maybe a five-on-five national team at the next Olympics…
– No no. Not my sport (laughs).
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Lithuanian national team. Aurelijus Pukelis, Šarūnas Vingelis, Gintautas Matulis, Evaldas Džiaugys.
Polish national team. Adrianas Boguckis, Filipas Henrykas Matczakas, Michalas Aniolas Sokolowskis, Przemyslawas Zamojskis.
Results of the Lithuanian national team. Lithuania – Latvia 14:21, Lithuania – France 20:21, Lithuania – Poland 21:12, Lithuania – China 21:16, Lithuania – Netherlands 18:19, Lithuania – Serbia 20:18.
Teams. In the 3×3 basketball Olympic Games, the USA, Serbia, China, Netherlands, Latvia, France, Poland and Lithuania participate in the battles.
System. The Lithuanian triathlon team will play 7 matches from July 30 to August 4. All opponents will be played once. The top two teams will advance to the semi-finals. 3-6 places – to the additional stage of the quarter-finals. The 7th and 8th place teams are eliminated and the tournament ends.
The medal fights will take place on August 4-5. The Paris Olympic Games take place from July 26 to August 11, and you can follow their progress and the hottest comments from athletes lrytas.lt portal.
2024-08-05 22:16:40