Tadas Sedekerskis could only regret Lithuania’s fall from grace as their massive upset of the United States had gone for naught now that they won’t have any chance of vying for a medal in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
On a high from that 110-104 victory over the perennial contenders to end the Group Phase unbeaten through five games, the crew crashed out of the quarterfinals after absorbing a 87-68 beatdown at the hands Serbia, Monday.
“The game against the United States, as you can see now, it’s nothing,” the 25-year-old lamented in the postgame presser at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The world no. 8 impressed at the start of the global hoops conclave, first by sweeping Egypt, Mexico, and Montenegro to top Group D before commencing their Second Round campaign with a 92-67 conquest of Greece.
And then came their stunner of Anthony Edwards and the US in the same venue in a battle of unbeaten teams to lock the no. 1 seed in Group J.
All that just to lose in their most important game of the tournament, which saw them lose grip in the second quarter before being blown out fully in the last two as the Orlovi reached the semis for the first time since 2014.
Thus, the team’s disappointment as they could no longer take home a World Cup medal, which they program hasn’t done since copping bronze in 2010.
“We came here to win a medal,” said Sedekerskis, whose team hauled down only 28 rebounds against the Serbians, indeed a far cry from their 44.2 boards they collected on average in their first five matches.
“Our goal was to win a medal and we knew that if we want to win that, we have to beat Serbia today in the quarterfinal to go to the semifinal,” he added.
Lithuania could only tip their hat to the victors led by Bogdan Bogdanovic, who finished with 21 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
“Now we don’t have any chance to fight for the medal,” said Sedekerskis, who finished with 14 points in the loss that relegated the crew to the classification.
“The Serbian team is amazing and they know how to play basketball.”
