In the initial half of the game, Greece started strong and initially had an 8-point advantage over Lithuania.
However, Lithuania staged a remarkable comeback in the second half, maintaining their flawless winning streak and securing a spot in the Quarter-Finals with a convincing 92-67 victory.
Furthermore, their perfect 4-0 record, along with the United States, guarantees that neither Greece nor Montenegro, both of which have 2-2 records, can surpass them.
While Coach Kazys Maksvytis is known for being concise, it is likely that he communicated with the team during halftime.
Consequently, the team emerged from the locker room with a completely different game plan, focusing on making long-range shots and preventing Greece from getting close to the basket.
This transformation was particularly evident in the third quarter, where Lithuania outscored Greece 25-15, putting them in the lead.
When they held Greece to just four points in the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter, it became evident that the Mall of Asia Arena had turned into a one-sided contest.
The final quarter concluded with Lithuania leading 28-9, and the second half saw Lithuania dominating with a score of 53-24.
“We started the first half a little bit slow,” Ignas Brazdeikis said. “We didn’t play as aggressive as we typically do, especially defensively. Coming into the second half, we all had the same plan: come out aggressive and execute the game plan.”
Watch the game highlights between Lithuania and Greece in the First Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023:
