By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With four players removed, the final roster emerged for Lithuania en route to the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan.
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Hosting Slovenia in Twinsbet Arena on Sunday, Rokas Giedraitis, Vaidas Kariniauskas, and Motiejus Krivas were left out of the lineup, signaling exits. Eimantas Bendzius played, logging four points in nine minutes, but was the fourth player cut.
After the prep game in Vilnius, head coach Kazys Maksvytis presented the final roster.
The lone NBA player on the 12-player list, Domantas Sabonis missed the friendly against Slovenia but is expected to resume preparations within the next few days.
Fellow NBA star, Jonas Valanciunas has been ruled out.
Lithuania’s final roster
- Arnas Butkevicius – Zalgiris
- Tomas Dimsa – Zalgiris
- Marius Grigonis – Panathinaikos Aktor
- Rokas Jokubaitis – FC Barcelona
- Mindaugas Kuzminskas – AEK Betsson
- Lukas Lekavicius – Zalgiris
- Donatas Motiejunas – AS Monaco
- Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento Kings
- Tadas Sedekerskis – Baskonia
- Deividas Sirvydis – Zalgiris
- Azuolas Tubelis – Neptunas
- Edgaras Ulanovas – Zalgiris
Seeking an eighth berth in the Olympic Games and a return after missing the 2020 Tokyo Games held in 2021, Lithuania faces Mexico and Cote d’Ivoire in the preliminary round of Group A of the OQT in Puerto Rico. The hosts compete in Group B with Bahrain and Italy. Following the preliminary round and the Semifinals between the top two teams of each group, the winner of the Final will progress to the Olympics, joining the United States, Serbia, and South Sudan and Group C of the preliminary stage.