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Lithuania makes Olympic basketball semifinals

Nuggets' Kleiza helps oust China

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 20, 2008 at 7:39 a.m.

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China has 1.3 billion people, Lithuania 3.5 million.

China has 7-foot-6 Yao Ming. Lithuania has nobody even 7-foot.

But Lithuania is the little nation that could. And with Nuggets forward Linas Kleiza having another solid game, it beat China 94-68 on Wednesday to reach the men's basketball semifinals.

The Lithuanians need to win only one of their next two games to earn an Olympic medal.

"It's a small country, but the fans we have are great," Kleiza said of a group of 100 or so loyal fans who chanted throughout the game. "They love basketball."

In six games, Lithuania has lost once, a meaningless game against Australia in the pool play finale. It's the surprise team of the Games.

One reason is Kleiza. After scoring 15 points Wednesday, he's Lithuania's top Olympic scorer with a 14-point average even though he comes off the bench.

"I'm trying to play my role and trying to be aggressive," he said.

Next up for Lithuania, which got 23 points from guard Sarunas Jasikevicius, is Spain on Friday. The Spanish, with Pau Gasol scoring 20, eliminated Croatia 72-59.

The victor gets the winner of the U.S.-Argentina semifinal in Sunday's gold-medal game. The losers play Sunday (Saturday night, U.S. time) for the bronze.

"We're looking forward to a matchup against Spain, and, hopefully, we get the chance to play the United States," Kleiza said.

On Wednesday, though, Lithuania was busy celebrating the win against China. The game marked the end of the Olympics for Yao, who averaged 19 points in six games.

"We came with determination," he said of China's 2-4 record. "It's our courage that led us to (Wednesday's) position, but our capability is still a problem."

China did get wins against Angola (population 12 million) and Germany (82 million).

But little Lithuania proved too pesky.

Comments

  • August 20, 2008

    9:29 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kmeissner writes:

    It would be great to see Melo vs. Kleiza in the finals. Go USA!

  • August 20, 2008

    3:18 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    RG2008 writes:

    Kleiza rocks Melo's world to win the Gold!

    You heard it here first!

  • August 21, 2008

    1:10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Chacmool writes:

    Dream on RG2008.

  • August 21, 2008

    5:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    cap writes:

    I hope there is a way kleiza and melo can get alot of playing time on the nuggets court at the same time -not as kleiza being melo's backup. We need more of kleiza's aggressiveness on the court!
    CAN'T WAIT FOR SEASON TO START!!!!!!!!!!