Greece won the Acropolis Tournament undefeated by edging Lithuania 75-73 on Wednesday in a tune-up for next month’s European basketball championship.
Serbia earned its second win 70-59 against winless Russia.
Lithuania won once in the 23rd friendly round-robin event.
Greece, Lithuania and defending champion Russia are the top seeds in their groups at the Europeans in Poland from Sept. 7 to Sept. 20.
Former powerhouse Serbia is looking to make a comeback after a string of disappointing performances which saw it finish 11th in the 2006 world championship, 14th in the 2007 European Championship, and fail to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
On Wednesday, after an even first half, Lithuania’s better ball movement, combined with the early exit of Greece center Sofoklis Schortsanitis through an ankle sprain, allowed Lithuania to take a double-digit lead and enter the final period ahead 59-50.
Lithuania’s lead could have been even wider had the three Greek referees not favored the home team on occasion.
Greece began the fourth quarter with an 18-5 run to go up 68-64.
Lithuania regained the lead, but Greece went ahead again 75-71.
After forward Marijonas Petravicius made it 75-73 with 7.2 seconds left, the Greeks turned the ball over and fouled. Arturas Jomantas missed both free throws, the second intentionally, and Greece escaped with the win.
Forward Antonis Fotsis led Greece with 17 points. Kzystof Lavrinovic scored 15 for Lithuania.
Serbia led only 32-28 at halftime, after which Russia collapsed in the third quarter, just like in Tuesday’s game against Greece, and scored just four points, falling behind 49-32 at the end of the period.
The dismal showing continued through the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, with the Serbs taking their largest lead at 56-34, and coasting the rest of the way.
Nenad Krstic was Serbia’s top scorer with 24 points. Center Timofey Mozgov scored 15 for Russia.
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