Serbia vs Lithuania FIBA World Cup Quarter Final Recap

• Serbia never let previously unbeaten Lithuania get close after dominant 2nd and 3rd quarters. 
• Bogdanovic rebounds from 1/13 three-point night vs Italy.
• 4 out of 5 starters in double figures not enough for Valanciunas’ Lithuania.
• Serbia now wait for Canada vs Slovenia to find out semi-final opponent.

Serbia bounce back behind great Bogdanovic performance

It looked like yet another confident game for Valanciunas and co as they managed to secure a 5-point lead, cut to just two points by Guduric at the end of the first quarter. 

The decisive push for The Eagles happens in the 2nd quarter, with an incredible offensive run by Petrusev (17 points in 17’ with 6 boards). Serbia’s lead reaches double figures when Bogdanovic scores a long three towards the end of the 2nd quarter. 

Lithuania unable to find way back in during second half

Lithuania gets as close as 5 points but Stefan Jovic and Bogdanovic are cool and keep the Baltics at a distance expertly as the lead reaches 18 points by the end of the 3rd quarter. 

It’s cruise controls for Bogdanovic and co, who pass their test against Lithuania with flying colors, as they wait for their semi-finals opponent, which will be the winner of the Canada vs Slovenia quarter-final. It feels like Svetislav Pešić’s team won’t be favorites (at least not against Canada) but they will give it their all, and their path to the World Cup final is as open as it gets. 

MVP 

Pesic said Bogdanovic should “Forget about this” after his poor shooting performance against Italy. The Hawks star did that and more with 20 points against the Dominican Republic and an MVP performance during the quarter finals against Lithuania. 

Bogdanovic powered the Eagles’ offense with 21 points shooting with tremendous efficiency, as his 9/13 from the fields attests, and added 4 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals on his way to crush Lithuania on both ends of the court. It will take this version of Bogdan to get the best of either Canada or Slovenia, either in an all-Balkan reunion with Luka or many NBA familiar faces is Canada do get through. 

The Eagles will need their best player to be switched off on offense and control the big moments of the game, just like he did against Lithuania.