Olympic games, semifinals: Friday, August 22, 2008
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Spain reached its first Olympic gold medal game since 1984 by edging Lithuania 91-86 in the first semifinal at Wukesong Arena on Friday. Spain is set to play its second Olympic final against the winner of the second semifinal, either the United States or Argentina, on Sunday. Meanwhile, Lithuania lost its fifth consecutive Olympic semifinal. It will have the chance to win its fourth Olympic bronze medal since 1992 in the third place game also on Sunday. It was an outstanding game that showed what European basketball is all about, with passion, talent and outstanding drama. Pau Gasol paced the winners with 19 points. Reigning ULEB Cup Final Eight MVP Rudy Fernandez added 18, Felipe Reyes of Real Madrid had 13 while Carlos Jimenez of Unicaja got 11 for Spain. Spain played without point guard Jose Manuel Calderon, who was injured. Simas Jasaitis of DKV Joventut and three-time Euroleague winner Sarunas Jasikevicius of Panathinaikos led Lithuania with 19 points apiece. Robertas Javtokas of Dynamo Moscow had 15, Ksistof Lavrinovic added 13 while his Montepaschi Siena teammate Rimantas Kaukenas got 11. Pau Gasol, Fernandez and Raul Lopez of Real Madrid stepped up in crunch time to win it for Spain.
Fernandez got Spain going with a tip-in, as Lithuania went scoreless almost for 2 minutes until Jasikevicius stepped up with a driving basket. Spain managed to get Pau Gasol involved while Fernandez sank his first triple for a 9-4 edge. Javtokas dunked it while Euroleague MVP Ramunas Siskauskas of CSKA Moscow sank a jumper to get Lithuania within 10-8. Jorge Garbajosa of Khimki struck from downtown but Kaukenas followed a jumper with a driving layup to make it a one-point game, 13-12. Pau Gasol and Jasikevicius traded baskets while Kaukenas nailed a corner triple to give Lithuania its first lead, 15-17. Garbajosa downed his second three-pointer while Jimenez added a layup-plus-foul to restore a 21-19 Spanish lead after 10 minutes. Lithuania had to readjust its offense with Siskauskas as point forward, as Jasikevicius had troubles against Ricky Rubio of DKV Joventut. Alex Mumbru of Real Madrid scored in the low post, as Spain kept powering the offensive board. Marc Gasol shined with a layup-plus-foul to boost the Spanish edge to 28-20. It didn't last long, as Jasaitis had 5 points in a 2-11 Lithuanian run that Ksistof Lavrinovic capped with a triple that made Spain call timeout at 30-31. Ksistof Lavrinovic struck again from downtown but Pau Gasol and Lopez tied the game, 34-34. Jasaitis sank his second triple while Javtokas and Lopez traded free throws for a 36-39 score. Another three-pointer by a red hot Jasaitis and free throws by Fernandez and Rubio fixed the halftime score at 40-42.
Reyes scored right after the break but Javtokas bettered that with a layup-plus-foul. Spain tried to attack the basket, as Javtokas, Ksistof Lavrinovic and Marijonas Petravicius of Lietuvos Rytas each had 3 fouls. Free throws by Kaukenas, however, gave Lithuania a 42-47 edge. Jimenez scored in transition and fed Marc Gasol for a layup to give Spain some fresh air at 46-47. Javtokas had another three-point play but Fernandez and Reyes kept Spain close, 50-52. An outstanding Reyes followed free throws with a layup to provide another lead change, 55-54. Jasaitis - who else? - sank yet another triple and Javtokas dunked it to restore a 57-59 Lithuanian lead. Even when free throws by Rubio and a dunk-and-foul by Pau Gasol tied the game, 62-62, an outstanding four-point play by Ksistof Lavrinovic gave Lithuania a 62-66 edge after 30 minutes. Pau Gasol and Reyes had back-to-back layups to keep Spain in the game, 66-67. An incredible three-point play by Pau Gasol and a fast break by Fernandez made Lithuania call timeout at 73-71. Lavrinovic nailed a three-pointer right before fouling out but Fernandez answered from downtown and added free throws for a 78-74 edge. Linas Kleiza left the game with a disqualifying foul while Jimenez pushed the Spanish lead to 81-74. Jasikevicius sank a three-pointer and soon added free throws to give Lithuania some hope, 83-79, with less than 2 minutes to go. Pau Gasol made a foul shot while a layup by Siskauskas got Lithuania even closer, 84-81. Free throws by Fernandez and Lopez sealed the outcome, 87-81, with 18.9 points, allowing Spain to write a new page in its own history.
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Euroleague.net
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