Belarus Survives Lithuanias Late Reaction

BELARUS 61 – LITHUANIA 55

Teams were even in the first where defenses weren’t specially aggressive but teams struggled in the offense. Belarus took an early 7-2 lead and they would keep their noses in front at the end of the first 12-11 after a freebie from Volha Padabed.

Belarus came out better in the second with a more balanced game than a Lithuania team that was based mostly in finding Egle Stakneviciene. Nataliya Trafimava and Nataliya Durenka scored back to back three pointers in the begginning to make it 18-11 leading to Rutenis Paulauskas time out after 1:20. Stakneviciene cut the run but Belarus answered with back to back baskets from Anastasiya Verameyenka and Yelena Leuchanka making it 22-13 and leading to Lithuania’s second timer out in barely three minutes in the second.

Sandra Valuzyte and Daina Staugatiene closed the gap for Lithuania 22-17 and Belarus called time out then (Min 4) and after its more balanced game lead them to score an 8-0 run in the next two minutes to lead 30-17 after a three point play from Yelena Leuchanka, beginning then trading until the break, in which teams entered with Belarus up 37-23.  

Belarus game dominated the third. Anastasiya Verameyenka in the very beginning gave Belarus its biggest lead of the game with two freebies, 39-23. Lithuania struggled in the offense and could only trade baskets with Anatoli Buyalski’s team until the last three minutes. After Natalia Trafimava made it 46-32 and 3:!9 remaining Belarus struggled, however Lithuania wasn’t able to get close in the score, just 9 points after two free throws from Rima Valentiene which made it 48-39 and 1:18 remaining, when none of the teams would score until the last two seconds when Yelena Leuchanka put again the double digit margin for Belarus, 50-39.

Lithuania got better in the last quarter, they switched defense to zone and Belarus got stalled in the offense. Lithuania based its offense on the perimeter mostly. Egle Stakneviciute started the quarter with a trey to make it 50-42 and her team would only allow Buyalski’s team three  points – 53-44 after a trey from Volha Padabed- making an overall 11-3 run in the first 4:40 leading to Belarus time out. Natalia Trafimava scored after it  and started an 8-2 run in the next three minutes, capped by a three pointer from Tatyana Troina making it 61-52 with 2:30 remaining and closing the game for Belarus, although Belarus won’t score in that remaining time the fact that Lithuania also couldn’t off balance Belarus defense and they just scored three points giving the victory to Belarus for a final score of 61-55.

Yelena Leuchanka had 13 pts and 14 boards for Belarus, Nataliya Trafimava added 16 and Anastasiya Verameyenka 12 pts –all of them in the first half- and 9 boards.

For Lithuania Egle Stakneviciene had 17 pts and Sandra Valuzyte 13. Agne Ciudarene didn’t play in the second half.