2024-08-04 22:36:45
An impressive comeback, an impressive victory and only one step to the semi-finals – the Lithuanian triples basketball team continues its wonderful debut at the Paris Olympic Games. This time, in the match held on Sunday at Santarvė Square, Dainius Novick’s students defeated the Serbian basketball players 20:18 after a persistent fight.
The Serbs led at one point 18:14, but then the Lithuanian team staged an impressive 6-0 run and paved the way to their fourth victory in the group stage. This victory was sweetened by the fact that Lithuanians won against Serbia in the official tournament for the first time in history.
“Those two minutes without substitutions saved me. It seemed that we were not dead at all, but the Serbs were more tired. I thought it would be the other way around, we are learning, I don’t know, those defenses, what are, uh, men, men…”, coach D. Novickas said after the victorious confrontation.
After the duel, the Lithuanian basketball team watched the match between the Netherlands and USA basketball teams. The victory of the USA team would have given the Lithuanians a direct ticket to the semi-finals.
However, D. Novickas, who was smoking a cigarette and stomping furiously on the spot, did not receive a gift from the USA – the match was won by the Netherlands, which meant that the Lithuanians will have to enter the quarter-final match against Poland this evening.
“To be honest, I didn’t really believe it, because the USA played fantastic two days in a row, a long tournament, I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be like that on the third day. We have done our work, the most important competition awaits. Everything will be determined by psychology.
We always win against those Poles, we win, but the most important competition is waiting here… It’s definitely better than playing with the hosts, in front of a full arena. It will probably lift the man’s mood somewhat psychologically, because the first victory against the Serbs, we will watch, because that is our Lithuanian trait, those quarterfinals…”, the strategist added.
The crucial battle for a place in the semi-finals will take place on Sunday at 10 p.m. 30 minutes Lithuanian time.
We remind you that in the group stage the Lithuanians have already beaten the Polish basketball players 21:12, but the Lithuanian coach feels anxious before the decisive match.
“Poland can shoot, you need a Pole… Polska… Last year we were 14-0, but we got to the group stage – we lost, now we have eight wins, but at some point the one comes… You have to concentrate, close their snipers, then everything will be fine,” said the specialist.
The match is just a few hours away. What is the basic preparation plan?
“We will eat, sit down, watch a video. Everything depends on psychology, we had a good plan for the group stage, if we execute everything, if we don’t let them run wild, everything will be fine”, reasoned the coach.
After the match, he added that if anyone had offered third place in the group and a quarter-final against Poland before the Olympic tournament, he would have gladly accepted it.
The Serbs entered the confrontation against Lithuania with four victories and two defeats.
The Serbian national team beat the USA 22:14, dealt with the Netherlands 21:19, beat France 19:16 and crushed Poland 21:12. Serbs suffered defeats by losing to China (15:21) and Latvia (14:21)
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.
Serbian national team. Marko Brankovići, Dejanas Majstorovići, Strahinja Stojačičius, Dimeo Mihailo Vasičius.
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.
– Where do you feel the biggest difference in the team’s psychology after the first two games and now? D. Novicka was asked.
– We all grow up. I know it’s hard. It’s hard for me too. After the Olympics, we will stay for a few more days, only Šarūnas Vingelis and Aurelijs Pukelis will go home, we will all stay for a few more days to enjoy the Olympics, because we didn’t see anything.
That psychology… We talked a lot about men relaxing and enjoying such an arena, 5 thousand. viewers. I told the men that it won’t get any worse, we’ll be in the world by eight already. I know that everyone in Lithuania is waiting with anger, but thank God that we deleted social networks.
We are not doing anything bad to Lithuania, but we have taken such a responsibility on ourselves that it seems that we are doing something bad, then we will be eaten when we return. We have to enjoy the Olympics, at worst we will already have fifth place. When to enjoy this arena if not now?
– A long-awaited victory. How does it feel to finally get revenge against the Serbs?
– There is no joy yet, because we did not get our revenge here. We will celebrate if we win against the Poles, then the Serbs will go against the French, and then we can celebrate in the medal fight if we go.
– If someone had suggested the current situation before the Olympics, would you have agreed with it?
– Imam, Imam. We really believe in ourselves, we really can. I say, one point against France, one point against the Netherlands, we would already be in the semi-finals. It’s a sport, we learn to play it, it’s all up to us.
We have to win, rest, then maybe the tension will drop. We will not fall below the fifth place. We are not embarrassed anymore (smiles).
2024-08-04 22:36:45