Shenzhen, China – Lithuania (4-3) has proven to be a difficult match-up for the NetScouts Basketball USA All-Stars (4-2) on this tour of China. After defeating the Americans in Dazu by one-point, Lithuania came back from a 19-0 deficit to top the USA All-Stars 84-78 before 6.391 at Bao’an Gymnasium in Shenzhen. 6’6 Gintautas Matulis led the winners with 17 points, connecting on 5-of-6 two-point attempts. Diante Watkins led the Americans with 24 points.
After scoring the first 19 points of the game the USA went flat after substituting out most of the starters. Lithuania scored the last 11 points of the quarter, then the first five points of the second quarter to cut the margin to 19-16. The USA All-Stars went 7:52 without scoring a point. Lithuania took a 46-41 lead into halftime after scoring 35 second quarter points. The USA came back in the third quarter behind scoring from Javier Carter (19 points on 9-of-13 shooting) to take a 60-54 lead. However, the Lithuanians came back to score the next ten points to take a four-point lead that they never relinquished.
Lithuania was effective scoring off crisp passing inside, ending the game with a 42-20 edge in scoring in the paint. They connected on 63% (24-of-38) of their two-point attempts. They shot 7-of-23 (30%) from long distance. The Americans weren’t patient enough working against the Lithuanian zone, often settling for three-point attempts and missing some opportunities behind the zone. The USA shot 31 three-pointers, making nine (29%). Watkins was 5-of-13 from long distance. Lithuania had a +6 rebounding advantage but that was primarily due to the USA missing nine more shots.
The USA All-Stars will try to get back on track against a Canadian (2-5) team that has gotten confident after two straight wins. They topped China (3-4) 90-75 in the first game tonight.
NetScouts Basketball USA All-Stars
Diante Watkins (Robert Morris/Germany) 24 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals
Brandon Clark (Santa Clara) 0 points, 0 rebounds
Mikey Thompson (Boise State) 2 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
Aaron Rountree (Wake Forest/Iona) 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Thomas Bropleh (Boise State/NBA D-League) 7 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
James Crowder (Pfeiffer/Finland) 0 points, 3 rebounds
Javier Carter (South Alabama/NBA D-League) 19 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 2 assists
Julius Brooks (Loyola-MD/Latvia) 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Will Artino (Creighton/Estonia) 8 points, 7 rebounds
Mardracus Wade (Arkansas/NBA D-League) 14 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Media inquiries can be directed to Carl Berman at carl@netscoutsbasketball.com.
Information on NetScouts Basketball can be obtained here. Detailed articles on the tour will be found on the NetScouts Basketball Blog. Email carl@netscoutbasketball.com to get on the mailing list for tour related articles, information and photos
