Form woes continue as Boomers crash to heavy Lithuania defeat on eve of Rio Olympics
The Australian men’s basketball team look to have plenty of work to do if they are to secure a breakthrough Olympic Games medal after a 81-68 loss to Lithuania in Sao Paulo.
World No.3 Lithuania took control early and were never headed in the Boomers’ penultimate warm-up match before the Games.
After an encouraging win against world No.4 Argentina, the Boomers had been given a 29-point lesson by No.9-ranked Brazil and similarly struggled against three-times Games bronze medallists Lithuania.
Shooting from the field again proved the Boomers’ Achilles heel, the Australians at 40 per cent for the game.
The evening seemed typified by a David Andersen airball as he shot unguarded for a three-pointer inside the final minute.
Injured Andrew Bogut again watched on from the stands but Joe Ingles enjoyed some game time, having linked with the squad midweek after his wife gave birth to twins.
Ingles top-scored for Australia with 16 points in his 23 minutes, Aron Baynes adding 14 and Patty Mills 11.
Lithuania were led by towering Toronto Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas (19 points) and Mantas Kalnietis (16 points).
Unlike their fast start and slow finish in the disappointing loss to Brazil, the Boomers were very much behind the eight-ball early against Lithuania, falling behind 21-11 in the first quarter and 41-32 by halftime.
From there, the European powerhouse was never headed.
The Boomers have one more match against an as yet to be determined opponent on Monday (EST) before beginning their Olympic campaign against France on August 6.
