Standard Life GB women came agonisingly close to recording the biggest victory in their history before losing 64-63 against Lithuania in the opening game of EuroBasket second stage on Thursday.
Tom Maher’s team led by five points going into the final three and half minutes, but failed to score again as European powerhouse Lithuania came away with the victory.
It was a stunning effort from the GB side for most of the game, as they improved their floor shooting to 41.5 percent and out-rebounded the Lithuanians 44-37.
Some excellent work on the offensive boards saw Britain grab 17 rebounds off their own shots, and despite losing, their performance should give them confidence ahead of Saturday afternoon’s crunch game against Turkey.
Julie Page led Maher’s team at both ends of the floor with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Jo Leedham also dished out three assists to go with her 14 points while Kim Butler marked her 50th GB cap with 11 points and five rebounds.
Lithuania won the tip, and took the lead through Agne Abromaite and doubled that advantage before Butler got GB off the mark with a lay-up after a defensive stop.
Page gave GB their first lead of the game when she drained a three-pointer before Sandra Linkeviciene and Egle Sulciute converted three-point plays to put Lithuania up by five.
A great offensive rebound from Butler followed by a score kept GB in touch at 10-7 with five minutes gone.
Stafford kept GB within a good finish before head coach Maher called timeout with 1:25 on the clock and his team trailing 15-11.
A good play out of the break saw Handy half the deficit and a pair of Leedham free-throws meant the Lithuania lead was just one at 16-15 going into the first break.
Page opened the second period scoring off Stafford's assist to restore GB’s lead only to see Marina Solopova hit a three-pointer to answer.
Page was fouled on a two-point effort, and put Britain ahead again as she hit the resulting free-throw. With Page and Butler collecting their second fouls, Lithuania opened a five point lead before Leedham pulled GB back into the game with a three pointer before providing the assist for Azania Stewart to level things at 28 at the mid-stage of the quarter.
Stewart kept the game tied with a great put-back off a rebound before Butler hit a jump shot to force a Lithuania timeout with GB leading 32-30 and 1:18 remaining in the half.
Collins missed a chance to double the lead, but some great defence from Leedham sent GB into locker room with a 32-30 lead, and with an impressive nine offensive rebounds.
Butler made it a four point game off a good Stafford pass to open the second half.
Butler’s third foul saw Egle Sulcate fail to convert the three point play, and a good Stafford drive kept the score ticking over for Maher’s team.
A good piece of transition basketball saw Page make it a six point game with 6:20 remaining in the quarter, but a 5-0 Lithuania run capped by Rima Valentiene’s three forced a Maher timeout with 4:32 on the clock and his side 40-39 ahead.
Linkeviciene put her side back in the lead with a three point play after a foul from Stewart, only to see Leedham hit a three-pointer to put GB up by one again.
A Stafford floater put GB 45-42 up, and Page kept them ahead as she took her tally to 14 points and Leedham’s great move to the basket saw Lithuania call another timeout with GB 49-46 ahead and 31 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Stewart blocked Suliute’s shot out of the break, but Bimbaite ended the period with a drive to the basket to cut GB’s lead to 49-48 at the final break.
Lithuania had the ball to open the final period but Page grabbed the rebound, and Leedham made it a three point lead with a put-back.
Butler went into double figures to make it a four point game, and Stafford put GB six points ahead with as many minutes remaining, although she missed the resulting free-throw.
Butler’s fourth foul saw Bimbaite halve that lead with an and-one, only for Page to hit a massive three and force another Lithuania time-out with GB 61-55 and 5:45 remaining.
Linkeviciene cut that lead to three after being fouled by Collins and completing the three-point play, before Handy hit an off-balance shot to keep GB ahead.
Linkeviciene returned to the foul line to cut the lead to three before Sauliute hit a long two to make it a one point game.
Handy missed a lay-up, but some fantastic defence saw Britain force a turnover, leaving Maher to call a timeout with exactly two minutes remaining and GB 63-62 ahead.
Butler’s shot rimmed out, and Handy forced another Lithuania timeout, and after both sides had missed, Stafford was called for a harsh foul to send Sulciute to the foul line where she hit both shots to put her side ahead.
A scramble in the Lithuanian paint saw a jump-ball called, and Lithuania had the ball with 25.6 seconds on the clock.
Linkeviciene was sent to the free-throw line with 16.9 seconds remaining, and she missed both shots leaving Page to grab the rebound, however Page turned the ball over, and GB were unable to foul any of the Lithuanians, and GB’s hopes were ended.
Bimbaite led Lithuania with 16 points, with Linkeviciene adding 14.
Standard Life GB Women’s coach Tom Maher looked at the positives despite his side’s loss.
“We matched up well against one of the best teams in Europe. Our shooting was good, and other than the last minute, you’d take that performance any day.
“We did well defensively and had good possession for most of the game, we just need to punish teams more when they’re struggling, because at this level you’ll get punished when you’re struggling.
“We now need to move on, and get ready to play Turkey on Saturday.”
British guard Jo Leedham couldn’t hide her disappointment after the Standard Life side had gone so close to producing arguably the biggest upset of the tournament: “Obviously we’re very disappointed at this point. We went really close.
“Against a top class team you have to stay focused. We made some great plays at times, but at the moment it’s just so disappointing.
“Everyone can take five or ten minute to think about this, and then we have to move forward. Saturday’s game is crucial, there’s not long to think about it, so we need to stay positive and bring the same game against Turkey.”
