By Stefan Djordjevic / info@eurohoops.net
The EuroBasket 2022 Qualifiers came to an end with the final two tickets getting sealed on the last day. They belonged to the Estonians who lost to North Macedonia, but kept the tiebreaker advantage, and to Lithuania which managed to overcome Denmark in a close duel.
Lithuania’s 17-6 run (75-66) to start the fourth quarter was crucial but it didn’t go as easy as it looked. Denmark made a considerable effort to bounce back right away and make it a one-possession game. And not only.
Jonas Zohore missed the free throw to tie the game while Adama Dorboe tried to make a potential game-winner but Mantas Kalnietis got in the way and stopped him with a well-timed clean block.
Mantas Kalnietis with the HUGE BLOCK to send @ltu_basketball ?? to #EuroBasket 2022! pic.twitter.com/lIQJvYrJrC
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) February 22, 2021
Kalnietis scored 11 points while Vaidas Kariniauskas, Jonas Maciulis, Tomas Dimsa added ten each. On the other side, Kevin Larsen banked in 21 and Darboe 20 points. Zohore logged 12 points and ten boards.
A total of 13 teams had to fight for the ticket in the February window as they joined the seven already qualified teams. Four national squads qualified automatically as the hosts – Czech Republic, Germany, Georgia and Italy.
The following 24 teams secured a spot in the EuroBasket which is scheduled for September 1-18, 2022: Israel, Spain, Poland, Italy, Russia, Estonia, Belgium, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Croatia, Netherlands, Turkey, Serbia, Georgia, Finland, Ukraine, Slovenia, Hungary, France, Great Britain, Germany, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Greece, Bulgaria.
The fourth-placed teams will play in the FIBA World Cup 2023 Pre-Qualifiers Second Round: Romania, North Macedonia, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria.