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Lithuania announce squad for EuroBasket 2015

Xinhua, September 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Lithuanian head coach Jonas Kazlauskas added veteran Mantas Kalnietis and Toronto Raptors' Jonas Valanciunas to his squad for the the European basketball championship on Wednesday.

Kazlauskas, the former head coach of Chinese national team, made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday before the team leaving to Riga, Latvian capital, to start the championship.

"Kalnietis has been playing for incomplete season, and Valanciunas has been attending the preparation period too short," Kazlauskas said at the press conference.

Kalnietis, who helped Lithuanian team winning a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA World Cup and a silver medal at EuroBasket 2013, is the starting point guard of the team. He underwent shoulder and knee surgeries and was forced to miss the biggest part of the recent season, starting preparation for EuroBasket 2015 from June.

Valanciunas, 23, is to attend his fourth tournament with the national team and is expected to lead the team.

Kazlauskas has been facing challenges to prepare the national team for the competition, since three of the most experienced and valuable players were forced to miss the championship due to injuries.

Lithuanian team will start the championship playing against Ukraine. When asked about the main rivals during the group phase games, Kazlauskas mentioned Latvian team.

"They play an open, fast basketball, which depends a lot on their 3-pointer accuracy," said Kazlauskas.

Lithuania, a small Baltic State, has won European basketball championship gold medals in 1937, 1939 and 2003 and a silver medal at EuroBasket 2013.

The 39th edition of EuroBasket will take place from Sept. 5 to 20, in France, Croatia, Germany and Latvia. Endit