Lithuania Routs Gilas Boys 107-48 at FIBA U17 World Cup
World rank no. 7 Lithuania clinched a smooth victory against Gilas Pilipinas Boys during the Group Phase of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024.
From the tipoff, Lithuania came out strong, establishing an early lead with precise shooting and disciplined defense, forcing the Gilas Boys to resort to multiple three-point attempts that bounced off the glass. Lithuania led by 22 to 9 with a little over 2 minutes left in the first quarter.
The Philippines maintained a 12-point deficit throughout the second quarter, keeping up with Lithuania’s offense, with point guard Kurt Nathan Velasquez keeping the bleed in check. Although the Gilas Boys had a defensive presence, some gaps allowed Lithuania to widen their lead by 17 points by the end of the second quarter, 46-29.
As the game progressed into the third quarter, momentum spiraled in favor of Lithuania, extending their lead 76-31 with two minutes left on the clock. The much taller Lithuanians rallied with offensive rebound after offensive rebound, and a handful of steals from mishandled passes from the Philippines.
Lithuania closed out the game and walked away with a final score of 107-48, dominating the Gilas Pilipinas Boys.
World no. 25 Gilas Pilipinas Boys has an uphill battle in the Group Phase of the FIBA U17 Basketball World CUP 2024 as they face U17 world no. 2 Spain and world no. 15 Puerto Rico in their next games.