Turkey and Serbia victories complicate Lithuania's World Cup qualifying chances

Lithuania's path to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup has become significantly more challenging after recent setbacks in the qualifying rounds. A crucial loss to Italy has left the team second in Group D, with only three wins in six games, complicating their journey toward the global tournament in Qatar.

The current qualification system involves the top three teams from Groups C and D advancing to a new Group J. Turkey has emerged as a dominant force, entering the second stage with six points after an undefeated run in the first phase, including a decisive 95-72 victory over Switzerland. NBA stars Alperen Sengun and Cedi Osman led the scoring for Turkey.

Serbia also secured a vital win, defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 94-81 at home. They will carry four points into the next stage. The Serbian team showcased strong performances from their NBA contingent, with Nikola Jokic achieving a triple-double and Nikola Jovic scoring 32 points, including seven three-pointers.

Based on the current standings in Group J, Lithuania would not qualify for the World Cup. The group is led by Turkey (6-0), followed by Italy (5-1), Serbia (4-2), Lithuania (3-3), Iceland (3-3), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-4). Lithuania's remaining schedule includes away games against Turkey and Serbia, and home games against Bosnia and Herzegovina, making their qualification prospects increasingly slim.