Lithuania's U17 team finishes seventh with dramatic win over Puerto Rico

The Lithuanian U17 men's basketball team concluded their World Championship campaign with a hard-fought 98-93 victory over Puerto Rico, securing seventh place overall. The dramatic win came after a closely contested match where Lithuania, coached by Tomas Tarasevičius, rallied in the final moments.

Puerto Rico held a slim five-point lead entering the final quarter, but Lithuania's Kristupas Sabeckas emerged as a pivotal player, scoring critical points down the stretch. Benas Biržinis and Jokūbas Kukta sealed the victory with accurate free throws in the closing minute, capping off a resilient performance.

Sabeckas led the Lithuanian charge with an impressive 26 points, while Biržinis contributed 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Augustas Kicas added 14 points, and Simas Raščius chipped in with 11 points for the Lithuanian squad.

Lithuania's journey in the tournament saw them play undefeated until the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by the Serbian team, who eventually reached the final. Earlier, the Lithuanian U17 team also fell to a French squad coached by NBA legend Tony Parker.