In the first match of the fourth group of qualifiers for the Basketball World Cup, the team achieved Lithuania Defeated UK By 89 to 88 as a visitor. The Lithuanians achieved the victory after turning the score around in the last quarter thanks to Three times in a row Which has become the norm Ignace SargionasWho proved himself as the best scorer in the match.
The group he leads Mark Steutel The team succeeded in controlling the course of the first half, ending the first half with a score of 51-38, but Lithuania He responded at the right time and tied the score in the third quarter at 30-16, leading 68-67 when it entered the final period.
In the latter part of the game, a draw remained the direction of the game until in the last minute the home team took advantage of some mistakes and a good wrister from the free-kick line to escape with a seven-point lead. There were only 12 seconds left in the match and in the stands of the Copper Box Arena in London everyone was preparing to celebrate the victory that looked like a resounding decision.
There the number appeared Sargionas26 years old, has a past in college basketball in the United States, and is currently a player for Retas Vilnius in the Lithuanian League. The point guard, wearing No. 43 on his jersey, was a believer and set his sights on the British hoop. He scored a hat-trick to get within four, and the home side later added another goal after missing a free-kick and converting another.
Sargiunas didn’t care much, doubled the bet, ran without brakes and conceded from distance: three more points to go 88-86 down. The difference was two points, but the ball was the British’s with a margin of 3 and a half seconds on the clock. impossible? Nothing is impossible in basketball, and it seems even less so for the prodigy guard.
Great Britain served from the side and Sargiunas not only stole the ball, but crossed the middle of the court and attempted a three-point shot, making a basket that went into the hearts of the English crowd, while the crowd of Lithuanians on the court celebrated as if it were a World Cup elimination.
Greatest comebacks I’ve seen:
1995 | Reggie Miller
2004 | Tracy McGrady
2025 | Ignace Sargionas#FIBAWC | #StepItUp pic.twitter.com/TwuVya5xBe— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) November 27, 2025
On the next date, the Lithuanians will host Italy, while the British will visit Iceland, which just beat the Azzurri with a score of 81 to 76.