By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Spain take it all as they thoroughly beat Lithuania 80-63 in the final at Pierre Mauroy stadium in Lille. For the record, a third crown in four EuroBaskets has been achieved for the first time since Yugoslavia won the trophy three times between 1995 and 2001.
Despite missing some of their best players, such as Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and Jose Calderon, and even though they had a slow start in this year’s EuroBasket, Spain were third in the tournament in scoring (85.1 points per game) coming into this final, after the upset against the hosts and reigning champs, France. This, to a large extent, is due to a player called Pau Gasol, who has carried the Iberians to their ninth Top 2 finish and third European title, and who scored half of his team’s 80 points in that semi against Les Bleus. Before tonight, he was also leading the tournament in scoring with 25.6 points and blocks with 2.3 rejections per game, and was ranked 4th in rebounding with 8.4 boards per game.
Also missing some top players such as Linas Kleiza and Donatas Motiejunas, the Baltic power still managed to pile up one win after the other, their only loss being a buzzer-beater to Belgium in the group stage. By making the final, the three-time winners Lithuania continued their remarkable record of playing in every Olympics since the country gained independence from Russia in 1991.
But it was not a great start for the Lithuanians, who seemed a little nervous and disorganized, as the Spaniards were more decisive, quickly building up a handsome 11-point lead midway through the first quarter, to close it out 19-8. Sergio Scariolo’s team extended their advantage to 15 in the first minutes of the second period but the Lithuanians stayed in the fight and tried to collect themselves – actually scoring 25 points to Spain’s 22 – and with a three-pointer by Jonas Maciulis before the clock expired, took the score to 41-33 to end the first half. Kazlauskas’s players kept struggling but the Spaniards were just too good for them, finishing the third quarter with a 17-point advantage. Nothing much changed after that, as the Furias Rojas simply had to see the game out to be crowned the champions of Europe.
It was yet another majestic performance by the absolute MVP Gasol, as he completed another big double-double, dropping 25 points, collecting 12 rebounds and dishing 4 assists. Rudy Fernandez got 11 points, 1 board and 1 assist before being carried off the court with an injury in the third quarter. Sergio Lull was more than useful with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Nikola Mirotic (2 rebounds, 1 assist) and Felipe Reyes (1 rebound, 1 assist) got 8 points apiece and Victor Claver wasn’t bad either, scoring 7 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.
“This has been an incredible championship,” Gasol said after the game. “We are so happy and proud. We worked hard to be here today as a team. We went through our struggles early on. The team responded really well. When we had our backs against the wall, we understood what we had to do. It’s been an unbelievable tournament personally, collectively. It’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas – who, coming into this final, had four double-doubles to Gasol’s three and averaged 16.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks a game – had a rather underwhelming game with 10 points and 2 assists, but was a bit better on the boards with 9 rebounds. It was Renaldas Seibutis (4 rebounds) and Mantas Kalnietis (1 rebounds, 6 assists) who were the top scorers for their team, sharing 13 points. Mindaugas Kuzminskas, who was critical in the semifinal, got 8 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Maciulis – playing against five of his teammates in Real Madrid – added another 8 points, 4 boards and 2 assists.
“They played better,” Kazlauskas declared simply. “Today was very difficult. They prepared very well for this game and it was very difficult to play this game.”
“Every championship is special,” his Spanish – well, actually Italian – counterpart, Scariolo, reflected. “This year we started from day one in training camp really focused. Pau was our leader, our go-to guy on the court, co-coach on the court. I’m really thankful to him, proud of the rest of the guys too. They gave us something of themselves for the good of the team.”