GB suffer buzzer-beating defeat despite electric first-half performance vs Lithuania

GB suffered a heartbreaking, last-second 88-89 defeat, despite an impressive performance against FIBA’s ninth-ranked side, Lithuania, at the Copper Box Arena, London.

GB came out firing, forcing 11 turnovers in the first half and scoring 12 points off the back of their hard work.

Luke Nelson and Akwasi Yeboah connected effectively, while Gabriel Olaseni added his impressive touch around the rim.

Despite a surge from Lithuania in the third quarter, where the visiting side scored 16 points in the paint, Myles Hesson and Carl Wheatle turned defence into offence, blocking Lithuania at one end of the floor and connecting from distance at the other end.

However, in devastating fashion, Ignas Sargiunas chucked in three three-pointers within the final nine seconds of play, snatching the lead from GB in the final moment.

GB Head Coach Marc Steutel, speaking after the game, said, “Congratulations to Lithuania, to win the game how they did in the last 45 seconds, congratulations to them.

“I am hurting for my team, and I am proud of my team. I wish I were sitting here saying I was proud of what would have been a historic win for us.

“I think the guys have committed everything, and you could see that in the level of our intent and the level of our play. I thought it was a really solid team contribution.

“We could have managed the game better at the end, but I’m proud of the level of fight, the level of basketball we played. I think that game epitomises our DNA and how we want to play at this stage and this level.

“That’s a game that 99 times out of 100 we win, and we deserved to win the game, but credit and congratulations to Lithuania.”

First Quarter

Physical straight from the off, GB took control early, playing up to the home crowd. Yeboah’s thunderous dunk off the inbound from Nelson, combined with a relentless layup converted by Wheatle, to see GB storm out to a 10-point lead.

Some accurate shooting from Sargiunas allowed Lithuania to claw their way back level, but GB’s nine points of turnovers, created by their suffocating defence, ensured they finished the first quarter with a five-point advantage.

First Quarter: GBR 21 / LTU 16

Bringing the intensity to start the second was Dan Akin, who threw down two dunks, one off a crisp alley-oop pass from Nelson.

It was GB’s work on the defensive end, swarming the ball handler and forcing 11 turnovers in the first half, that gave them opportunities to run and score on the fastbreak. Wheatle and Hesson were the beneficiaries, cashing in on threes to take GB’s points-off-turnovers tally to 12.

Getting into an offensive rhythm, GB finished the half strong, with Hesson and Jelani Watson Gayle knocking down shots from distance.

Second Quarter: GBR 51 / LTU 38

GB started the second half with the same tempo, as Wheatle snatched a steal on the wing before hitting a step-back three-pointer from well behind the arc. Nelson and Yeboah continued to connect well on the inbounds play.

However, Lithuania began hammering the paint, driving inside and completing some tough layups through contact. They scored 16 points in the paint in the quarter, and extended their rebound advantage to 15.

Third Quarter: GBR 67 / LTU 68

Hesson and Wheatle provided a stabilising force to begin the fourth quarter despite a string of fouls breaking up the momentum.

At the other end, GB’s defence roared. They held Lithuania to just two points in the first six minutes of the quarter, refusing to allow them into the paint.

As the clock wound down, up stepped Hesson, smacking Sargiunas’s layup into the stands and then running the full length of the floor to power up a layup, plus the foul. Then, with the shot clock counting down, he stepped back, pulled up, and drained a three, giving GB a crucial four-point lead.

With 40 seconds to play, Velicka’s three pulled Lithuania back to within one. No matter, because it was Wheatle’s turn to drill a step-back of his own, causing a deafening boom from the GB faithful.

However, Lithuania refused to let up, and Sargiunas’s three three-point makes in nine seconds saw him steal the victory for his country.

Final Score: GBR 88 / LTU 89