Fiba World Cup: Lithuania dominates Montenegro to sweep Group D
Lithuania guard Rokas Jokubaitis (13) celebrates with forward Tadas Sedekerskis (8) during the second half of a Basketball World Cup group D match against Montenegro in Manila, Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023. Lithuania defeated Montenegro 91-71. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
MANILA, Philippines–Lithuania completed a sweep of Group D after a 91-71 win over Montenegro on Tuesday in the Fiba World Cup at Mall of Asia Arena.
FC Barcelona’s Rokas Jokubaitis and former NBA player Mindaugas Kuzminskas were among the main players who carried the unbeaten Lithuanian side to a third win going into tougher games in the second round.
Jokubaitis had 19 points, five rebounds and six assists while Kuzminskas, who once played for the New York Knicks but is now with Greek side AEK Athens, scored 15 in the win.
The European side will face the United States and either Greece or New Zealand in the next phase which starts on Friday at the same venue.
Jonas Valanciunas had 11 points and eight rebounds after an interior battle with fellow NBA cager Nikola Vucevic.
Vucevic finished with 19 points and four rebounds but Montenegro eventually trailed by double digits in the second half and settled for second in the group at 2-1.
Earlier, Egypt won its first World Cup in almost 30 years after routing Mexico, 100-72, in a no-bearing opener.
Ehab Amin scored 27 points for the Egyptians, who prevailed for the first time since defeating Cuba in the 1994 edition held in Canada.
Mexico lost all three games in the first round.
