The earth shook in Lithuania yesterday after the victory of the selection led by Jonas Valanciunas over Team USA, inflicting on the Americans their first defeat of the tournament (110-104). A general euphoria shared by all the members of the roster like Donatas Motiejunas, who savored this feat at its fair value. This is Lithuania’s third victory over the United States, after 1998 and 2004. The first two successes had already marked the spirits, and that of Sunday entered in turn into history.
“I was still a child at the time. I was 14, so I remember watching the game and it was something spectacular. Like I said from day one, we’re here to bring joy to our people, to our basketball, and I know how upset Lithuania is right now. And I really liked that we collectively could bring that joy to our people.”he said after the game.
Appetite comes with eating
The Lithuanian selection did not necessarily make favorite teams on the starting line, and knew how to gain power off the radar, until this match which will further boost the confidence of Donatas Motiejunas and his teammates.
” It’s incredible. If you had asked anyone before the tournament, they would have told you that a place in the Top 16 would be nice. That’s what everyone was talking about. But this team is really humble”, he added. “We know who we are and how hard we have to work to get wins, and that’s the most important thing.”
However, this historic success is not a culmination, and a challenge of at least as great a scale now awaits Lithuania on Tuesday against Serbia, while Team USA will challenge Italy.
“Of course, Team USA is one of the most talented teams in the World Cup. But honestly, this is just the group stage. Now the real knockout matches begin. And we have to focus on that,” thus concluded the Monegasque.
Photo credit: FIBA.com
