Lithuania Stun Gb On Buzzer In Opening World Cup Qualifier

Lithuania snatched a thrilling 89-88 triumph against Great Britain successful their opening lucifer of nan 2027 Fiba World Cup qualifiers successful London.

Ignas Sargiunas, who topped nan scoring floor plan for nan visitors pinch 27 points, bagged nan decisive three-pointer successful nan last 2nd to seal a singular comeback aft GB had dominated nan first half.

Marc Steutel's broadside led 51-38 astatine nan break, but Lithuania stormed backmost aft nan restart, taking nan 3rd 4th 30-16 to lead 68-67 heading into nan last period.

They levelled nan crippled astatine 75-75 earlier GB's men regained power briefly, only for defender Sargiunas to look arsenic Lithuania's leader and inflict a achy conclusion connected nan hosts astatine nan Copper Box Arena.

Carl Wheatle and Myles Hesson scored 18 points each for GB successful nan losing cause, while Akwasi Yeboah had 15.

Britain were astatine consequence of missing retired connected nan qualification run altogether aft nan British Basketball Federation (BBF) was suspended by basketball's world governing assemblage Fiba successful October complete governance failures.

However, they were yet cleared earlier this period to play nan necktie against Lithuania aft Super League Basketball reached a nickname statement pinch Fiba.

With nan uncertainty now down them, GB will dream to bounce backmost erstwhile they caput to Reykjavik connected Sunday successful their adjacent Group D fixture against Iceland, who hit Italy 81-76 successful their opener.

All 4 teams successful nan group will look each different doubly successful nan first information of nan qualifiers earlier nan apical 3 sides suffice for nan adjacent stage.