US Falls to Lithuania at Basketball World Cup but Still Qualifies for Paris Olympics

Lithuania center Jonas Valanciunas (17) shoots over U.S. forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) during the first half of a Basketball World Cup second-round match in Manila, Philippines on Sept. 3, 2023.Michael Conroy/AP Photo

MANILA, Philippines—The U.S. is going to the Paris Olympics next summer. Lithuania made sure that was the only good development for the Americans on Sunday night, when it pulled off a Basketball World Cup stunner.

Vaidas Kariniauskas scored 15 points, Mindaugas Kuzminskas added 14 and Lithuania beat the U.S. 110–104 in a second-round game at the World Cup.