GB lose out to Lithuania after a strong start to their EuroBasket Opener
27 Aug 2025
National Men
Game 1 Preview: Great Britain VS Lithuania
25 Aug 2025
With EuroBasket 2025 set to kickstart for GB on Wednesday, 27 August, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.
How are GB looking?
Head Coach Marc Steutel has named the final 12 selected players in his roster after GB closed out their preparation tour with a win against Estonia.
Trabzonspor BC forward Akwasi Yeboah stood out offensively for GB across the five preparation matches, scoring 18 points, snatching nine rebounds, and dishing five assists in the victory on Friday.
GB captain Carl Wheatle showed off his defensive prowess throughout, proving a menace for opposing guards and forming a dynamic fastbreak partnership with veteran Myles Hesson.
Luke Nelson enjoyed a strong prep tour, making threes on a consistent basis, whilst displaying his playmaking flair.
Jubrile Belo and Jelani Watson-Gayle earned their way into selection with impressive efforts across the five prep matches and will make their first appearances at a EuroBasket tournament.
Experienced GB regulars such as Gabriel Olaseni, Tarik Philip, and Patrick Whelan are all named in the side, providing continuity and excitement for GB after driving a successful qualification campaign.
GB won just one of their five preparation games
Who to look out for in Lithuania’s squad?
Whilst Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis will not appear for Lithuania at the EuroBasket this summer, they have another NBA star in the form of Jonas Valanciunas to turn to.
Valanciunas has consistently produced high-level play and impressive numbers across his 12-year NBA career. In that time, he has played for five different teams and is set to don his fifth jersey as he looks to back up Serbian centre Nikola Jokic at the Denver Nuggets.
Valanciunas is a walking double-double, averaging 13.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game across his entire NBA career on an efficient 56% from the field.
His physical presence, standing at 6’11” and 120 kg, will prove a handful for GB’s frontcourt, whilst his veteran nous and feel for the offensive glass will be something to watch out for as GB look to deny any easy buckets.
Azuolas Tubelis, the young power forward making his debut at the EuroBasket, is another one to look out for.
Another sizeable frontcourt player, Tubelis played his college ball for the University of Arizona, before returning to Lithuania and winning the MVP award of their national league, the LKD.
Tubelis combines offensive firepower with defensive tenacity, and, played alongside Valanciunas, he will create a brutal interior threat for GB to deal with.
Head Coach Rimas Kurtinaitis is also one to keep an eye on.
He is the most recently appointed coach at the tournament. Having only led the squad since October, and without key players like Domantas Sabonis and Matas Buzelis, it will be interesting to see how Lithuania fare.
Valanciunas is Lithuania's danger man
How was their prep tour?
Lithuania won all but one of the seven preparation tour matches, beating the likes of Slovenia, Latvia and Iceland.
Their only loss came by way of an indomitable 25-point performance from Turkey’s Alperen Sengun.
Otherwise, Lithuania have looked sharp and dangerous, as demonstrated by six big wins.
Perhaps the best marker of where Lithuania are as a side was their overtime victory over Kristaps Porzingis’s Latvia. After Rokas Jokubaitis’s late basket tied the game at 93-93, Lithuania went on to win the game 109-105 thanks to a 16-point performance from Valanciunas.
GB will no doubt be on alert as they are set to face one of Europe’s most in-form teams.
Lithuania’s history at the EuroBasket
Lithuania have a fabled history at this tournament, having lifted the trophy on three occasions, and have qualified for 14 consecutive editions.
However, the Baltic side have not reached the podium places at the competition since 2015.
They finished fifth in 2023 as Valanciunas averaged 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, but haven’t won the competition since 2003, their only victory in the modern era.
Nevertheless, FIBA have placed Lithuania at fourth in their overall power rankings, as the nation’s fine preparation form and balance of exciting youth and astounding physicality proves intriguing to pundits and analysts alike.
Lithuania last won the EuroBasket in 2003
The best fans
A fun fact about Lithuania, EuroBasket speculators voted the Lithuanian fans the best of those set to attend the tournament.
According to FIBA’s poll, 21.5% of voters chose Lithuania as the most exciting fans travelling to Tampere, Finland, this summer.
Their dedication to their country and commitment to a vibrant, colourful, and loud backing may give their side an edge as they look to create a home-away-from-home feel in the stadiums.
