Lithuania protests double-OT loss to Germany at EuroBasket after free throw not awarded on technical foul

COLOGNE, Germany — Lithuania protested its double-overtime loss to Germany on the EuroBasket match on Sunday, arguing that referees didn’t award it a free throw following a technical foul in regulation.

It was not instantly clear how, or if, FIBA would reply to the protest.

For now, it is a German win — and an enormous one for the hosts. Franz Wagner scored 32 factors, Dennis Schroder added 25 and Germany held off Lithuania 109-107 in a recreation that was tight all through, with neither staff ever main by greater than 9 factors.

“We’re not pleased,” Lithuania coach Kazys Maksvytis mentioned.

Based on FIBA, Germany coach Gordie Herbert was referred to as for a technical with 1:26 left within the third quarter, after a private foul was whistled towards his staff. Jonas Valanciunas shot two free throws for Lithuania for the non-public foul, however no free throw for the technical was awarded.

Herbert mentioned he was advised by one of many referees with 7 seconds left in regulation that there was “a scenario” relating to the technical and what ought to have occurred.

“That was the primary time I heard about it,” Herbert mentioned.

Arnas Butkevicius’ 3-pointer from the left wing for Lithuania — the potential game-winner — bounced off the rim because the clock ran out within the second further session.

Maodo Lo scored 21 factors for Germany (3-0) and Daniel Theis added 11.

Valanciunas had recreation highs of 34 factors and 14 rebounds for Lithuania (0-3), whereas Marius Grigonis scored 17, Domantas Sabonis completed with 13, Ignas Brazdekis scored 12 and Mindaugas Kuzminskas added 11.

Lithuania’s three losses have been by seven, 4 and two factors.

“It was a troublesome recreation,” Valanciunas mentioned. “They performed effectively. I believed we responded for more often than not. … Congrats to them.”

Valanciunas scored the ultimate 4 factors of regulation as Lithuania rallied from down 89-85 within the remaining 42 seconds. Schroder missed a stepback jumper on the buzzer of the fourth, and Wagner missed one on the finish of the primary extra time.

However within the second OT, the Germans scored the primary 5 factors and by no means trailed. Valanciunas was subbed out with 2:29 left, Lo made a 3-pointer 17 seconds later for a 106-102 lead and Germany held on.

“To come back out on prime, in spite of everything of that, I believe it is undoubtedly an indication of our character and togetherness as a staff,” Lo mentioned.

GROUP A

BELGIUM 83, SPAIN 73

At Tbilisi, Georgia, Manu Lecomte scored 20 factors and Belgium ended the sport on a 12-0 run to shock Spain.

Pierre-Antoine Gillet scored 14 factors for Belgium (2-1), which received 11 from Retin Obasohan and 10 from Ismael Bako.

Willy Hernangomez scored 18 for Spain (2-1), whereas Juancho Hernangomez and Lorenzo Brown every had 11.

MONTENEGRO 91, BULGARIA 81

Vladimir Mihailovic scored 23 factors and Montenegro (2-1) ended the sport on an 18-6 run to rally previous Bulgaria (0-3).

Igor Drobnjak and Bojan Dubljevic every had 17 factors for Montenegro, Nemanja Radovic added 16 and Kendrick Perry scored 12.

Aleksandar Vezenkov led all scorers with 26 for Bulgaria, which led 75-73 within the fourth earlier than lacking eight of its final 10 pictures. Andrey Ivanov completed with 17 and Chavdar Kostov added 10 for Bulgaria, which tried 64 pictures within the recreation — 40 of them from 3-point vary.

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE

Group C and Group D return to the ground. Group A and Group B get a relaxation day.

In Group C, at Milan, Ukraine (2-0) will look to stay unbeaten when it faces host Italy (1-1). Additionally in Milan on Monday: Greece (2-0), which has gained its two video games by a mixed eight factors, takes on Nice Britain (0-2) and Croatia (1-1) faces Estonia (0-2).

In Group D, at Prague, Serbia (2-0) performs Finland (1-1), Israel (2-0) takes on Poland (1-1) and the Czech Republic (0-2) meets the Netherlands (0-2).

All 4 teams are in motion Tuesday, with 12 video games on the schedule. Group play continues by means of Thursday and the spherical of 16 begins in Berlin on Saturday.