Game 2: USA vs. Lithuania
Words. Aron Phillips
For our second game in the World Basketball Tournament, our opponent was ranked as the second best team in the world. While it may have been a bit unsettling to see 7-foot, 224-pound Donatas Motiejunas in the starting lineup (who is projected as the No. 3 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft), the team knew that you have to beat the best to be the best.
Starting tonight was Ray McCallum (PG), Trae Golden (SG), Justin Martin (SF), Jason Morris (PF) and Jared Sullinger (C) against a Lithuania team that looked like they could have played in the 1996 Olympics. While I’d read about Motiejunas for years, in person he was truly a beast. If you didn’t already know, basketball in Lithuania is like soccer in Brazil, so the team knew what they were up against early.
To start, McCallum (8 points) and Golden (20 points) came out firing and each knocked down a three. Right as Jordan McRae entered the game, he put one up as well and converted. If we could keep this up, it was going to be a great night. Josh Selby, who normally would have put up a three as well, took the pass on the wing and drove to the cup, converting a nice floater in the lane and drawing the foul.
Trying to increase our 23-21 lead, every guy was doing his part. Josh Hairston had a huge dunk in transition that added to the team’s momentum, while the two teams battled back and forth to end the quarter. After the first game, it’s clear that these guys are finally get the hang of playing together as a cohesive unit on both the offensive and defensive end. After the first quarter, we had a 30-23 lead.
As the second quarter began, Hairston (8 points) went back to his office on the block and knocked down a nice turnaround jumper. At this point, Lithuania had put in their bruiser unit to start the second unit, which is a bunch of big bodies who can also shoot. But working the ball around the perimeter, Team USA got the rock to Martin and he knocked down a three. A couple trips later, McRae (11 points, 5 steals) drove underneath the basket and passed it back to Sullinger (21 points, 13 rebounds) for the flush.
While Sullinger continued to be a beast inside, the guards were pushing the tempo to great results. Cory Joseph pushed the ball ahead to Selby (11 points) who drew the and-one on the break. When he was at the line, all the little kids who were sitting baseline were chanting, “Selby! Selby! Selby!” Going into the break, we had a solid 53-48 lead.
To start the second half, it was time for Tristan Thompson to step up. Relatively absent from Game 1 with foul trouble, the same thing happened tonight, as Thompson (14 points) picked up two early and sat most of the first half. As his partner in crime down low, Sullinger started off right with a nice block off the glass. But after a couple of quick buckets by Lithuania, it seemed like a replay of the previous game.
But charging through the trouble, McCallum and Morris knocked down back-to-back threes to tie the game 65-65 with five minutes to play in the third quarter. With Thompson taking it strong to the hoop, and Sullinger banging down low and scoring on the block, you’d think we would have been able to put together a run. But to end the third quarter, Lithuania went into the break with a 84-73 lead.
From there, things began to fall apart with a lack of weakside D. After an alley-oop to Motiejunas (24 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) that made it 92-76, you might have thought it was over. But it wasn’t. Golden came back the next play with a nice drive to the bucket: and-one. Then the next play Sullinger out the moves on Motiejunas in the paint: and-one. Follow that by Thomspon stepping up and making two technical free throws and a bucket by McRae, and the US had cut the lead to 99-91 with 3:25 left to play.
From there, things got interesting. Joseph (10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) put the Lithuanian team through the spin cycle and took the ball the length of the court and hit Golden for the three. Follow that with a bucket down low by Thompson and the lead was cut to 104-102 with 1:15 left to play. But despite a dagger of a three by Lithuania to extend the lead, Thompson followed up with a monster dunk off a miss and two at the line by Joseph to make it 109-106 with 22 seconds left.
After a long inbounds pass for a layup and two more at the line for Joseph, we were at 111-108 with 15.6 second left to play. Then things got interesting. After an offensive foul by Lithuania, we had the ball, down three, with just over 15 seconds to play. Not wanting us to get off a three, Lithuania fouled Thompson. Stepping to the line, he made both, to make it 111-110 with 9.6 second left on the clock.
With the ball in their hands, it was up to Dovydas Redikas (31 points, 6 rebounds) and Lithuania whether or not they’d make their free throws. At this point, the fans were getting crazy as the place was filled up before the last match of the night between France and Puerto Rico. Foghorns, screaming, you name it - they stepped to the line and made both. But in a last chance effort, the ball was pushed quickly and McCallum launched a three at the buzzer from deep that was just off.
Despite losing at the buzzer, the guys were surrounded by dozens of French children asking for their autograph after the game. From posters to basketballs, to t-shirts and even their own skin, the kids mobbed the 2K Sports Preseason All-American Team as if they had just won the NBA Finals. Visibly taken aback, the fanfare instantly took their mind off od the tough loss. It was truly an amazing scene.
Promoting International Goodwill Through Baketball. This Experience is Great. The International Style and Philosophy Should Help Our Coaches. Watch The Game Videos. Its a Pure Offensive Approach. Flow Control is The Key. It All Starts from The Point.
What is up with Ryan Harrow. Is he getting any playing time? I heard he possibly has an ankle injury.
Yea, unfortunately Ryan bothered his ankle after the first game. Wish he could be playing. The kid is nasty!
In The USA, Referees Will Always Stop The Game Flow and Give Defense a Chance to Set Up. Stay Offensive, Don’t Let Officiating Control Game Flow. Remember, Close Games at the End Become Foul Shooting Contests.
Close Games at the End Become Foul Shooting Contests ONLY IN THE USA. The International Game Does NOT Allow That. Get a Clue High School Coaches USA. Refs Learn To Officiate International Style. Dead Balls Are Given Immediately To The Offense. Here (USA), Dead Balls are Photo Ops For The Referee. Stop Posing. WE ARE GETTING OUT COACHED! BE OFFENSIVE!