Lithuania's Hot Hand Seals Their Passport To Quarterfinals

Lithuania 67 - Turkey 61

After a first lead of 5-4 for Lithuania (5-4), Algirdas Paulauskas’ team took a 6-0 from the Turks – with 4 pts coming from Yasemin Horasan- that put Turkey 10-5 up

Lithuania rushed in the offense, thanks partly to the good turk defense, which also dominated the boards. They weren’t also converting the shots so they remained 2:12 in a scoring driguht.

Turkey made it easy in the offense finding drivings and open shots, but they neither scored. Nilay Yigit was turkey’s leading scorer in the quarter with 6 points.

Egle Sulciute sparked then a 9-2 run with a three that put Lithuania back in front, 14-12, with 1:30 remaining, after turkey just scored 2 points in 3:38 minutes.

From then teams traded baskets, putting Egle Sulciute again her side up in the end of the quarter after converting two free throws to end the quarter 15-14.

In the second both teams traded baskets but the Lithuanians took advantage from their perimeter shooting and kept in front during a big part of the quarter

Turkey still drove easily to the basket or found the open placer after the driving, but they struggled to score. The Lithuania stopped scoring – during almost four minutes, after reaching the 30-26 at the score.

The turks then leveled the score at 30, during the stretch that Lithuania didn’t score, until in the last 57 seconds Lithuania scored again, with another three from Egle Sulciute putting her team back in front 34-30 at the break

After the break the basket trading went on. Lithuania kept in front until 3:01 remained, when Esmeral Tuncluer scores the first from three threes –next two scored by Birsel Vardarli- that meant a 9-0 run that put Cem Akdag’s team in front, 49-47, at the end of the third

Both teams struggled to score. In the last 1:21 none of then burned the net, but Lithuania wasn’t doing it since Turkey started their 9-0 run. Agne Ciudarene was Lithuania’s leading score with 6 pts

Lithuania put themselves back in front from the beginning of the fourth using the three point shooting, although teams traded baskets, the three straight three-pointers scored by the Lithuanians -2 from Rima Valentiene- kept them in front

After the Lithuanians dropped straight offenses, with 3:53 remaining, Nevriye Yilmaz, who was back in the court today, scored her 12th point in the quarter, to even the contest at 61. The center was the turkishs’ only offensive weapon in the whole quarter, and the lack of any other source of scoring eventually condemned her team.

Lithuania still wasn’t able to score, however they had very good chances, and their scoring drought went to 4:46 minutes, but Turk's drought also was long lasting, 2:53, and then Lithuanians perimeter shooting appeared again

With one minute remaining for the end of match Rima Valentiene scored a three from the front, and with 27 seconds remaining was Iveta Marcauskaite who sealed the deal for Lithuania with another three pointer to make it 67-61, with the turks not being able to score, nevertheless they had pretty good chances

Rima Valentiene scored 4-of-4 in three’s in the quarter to lead her team in scoring with 12 pts, and Iveta Marcauskaite also scored her two three points shots, adding 6 for Lithuania.

Agne Ciudarene had 12 pts and 9 rebounds, Rima Valentiene also had 12 points, Lina Brazdeikyte, 11 pts, and Sandra Valuzyte had 10 rebounds and 8 points

For Turkey Nevriye Yilmaz had 20 pts and 13 rebounds, along with the 11 and 6 rebounds from Nilay Yigit, and the 11 and 7 from Yasemin Horasan

MIQUEL BORDOY CANO

LOKOS X EL BALONCESTO FEMENINO

Post Game Interviews by Leslie Anderson and Miguel Bordoy Cano

Rima Valentiene and Iveta Marcauskaité