Valančiūnas Dominates Early as Lithuania Cruises to Second EuroBasket Victory

Tampere, Finland – Lithuania’s national team continued its impressive run at EuroBasket 2025 on Friday, securing a commanding 94-67 victory over Montenegro. The win was set up by a dominant first-half performance from star center Jonas Valančiūnas, who needed just 13 minutes to put up 19 points before resting for the entire second half.

A Star Center’s Unstoppable Form

Valančiūnas, now with the Denver Nuggets, was a force from the opening tip. He efficiently converted 8 of 9 two-point attempts and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, showcasing his versatility. His performance against fellow NBA center Nikola Vučević followed a strong showing in the opener against Great Britain, where he posted 18 points and nine rebounds in a game where Lithuania set a new all-time EuroBasket record with 57 total rebounds.

A Hero’s Rest

With Lithuania in full control, head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis opted to give his star center a rest after the break. The reins were handed to Rokas Jokubaitis, who finished the job with a masterful performance, recording a double-double of 21 points and 12 assists to lead the team to victory. “He is, like Rokas, a hero in Lithuania,” coach Kurtinaitis said of Valančiūnas after the game in the post-match press conference. “To be a hero, you must achieve something in life, and they both have… right now they are everything for Lithuanian basketball.”

A Record-Breaking Display

Lithuania’s unselfish play and ball movement were on full display throughout the game, culminating in a new EuroBasket record of 35 assists in a single game—a testament to their collective effort and their second victory in as many games in Tampere.