• → Game to take place at Deck Arena, Tampere on Wednesday, August 27 at 13:30 EEST (11:30 BST).
• → Great Britain return to EuroBasket aiming to prove growth under Marc Steutel, while Lithuania bring pedigree and power under Rimas Kurtinaitis.
• → Form line: GB surged late in qualifying, beating Netherlands and Czechia; Lithuania arrive 3–1 in prep with Valančiūnas back anchoring the paint.

Great Britain vs Lithuania - FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Opening Game Preview

Tampere sets the stage. EuroBasket 2025 tips off with Great Britain and Lithuania in Group B’s opening act. On paper, it looks like a clash of underdog energy against heavyweight expectations. In practice, it’s a meeting of two teams with very different histories and identical urgency.

The Group B Picture

Group B is brutal: hosts Finland, reigning world champions Germany, Montenegro, Sweden, plus these two. For Great Britain, every margin matters; their path to the knockout stage runs through making nights like this count. For Lithuania, banking early wins is non-negotiable. The opener, then, is not ceremonial - it’s strategic.

Lithuania: Familiar Identity, Refreshed Edges

Lithuania arrive as expected: structured, physical, and centered around Jonas Valančiūnas. The veteran big made his summer debut against Georgia and immediately looked in rhythm, anchoring a defense that strangled the game. Around him, Rokas Jokubaitis has been decisive in creation, Margiris Normantas has offered scoring punch, and Tadas Sedekerskis has been relentless on the boards.

Prep games under Rimas Kurtinaitis highlighted their range: comfortable wins over Estonia and Türkiye, a dominant showing against Georgia, and a narrow rematch loss to Türkiye that served as a valuable test. The roster trimmed down into balance: Valančiūnas at the core, Jokubaitis orchestrating, Sedekerskis and Giedraitis on the wings, Sirvydis spacing the floor, and Eimantas Bendžius stretching defenses in second units. This is a team with cohesion and experience that expects to be in the medal mix.

Great Britain: Momentum and Clarity

For Great Britain, this appearance already marks progress. They qualified with back-to-back wins over Netherlands and Czechia, powered by Gabriel Olaseni’s inside presence, Quinn Ellis’ fearless guard play, and wings like Akwasi Yeboah and Carl Wheatle providing defense and spacing. Luke Nelson’s playmaking and Myles Hesson’s experience give Steutel the sort of layered options GB lacked in 2022.

Context matters: GB went winless at EuroBasket 2022. Since then, the program has reset - developing identity, discipline, and resilience. Their February qualifying window, especially the gritty road win in The Hague, showed they can compete in late-game scenarios. The task now is translating that confidence against one of Europe’s most battle-hardened sides.

Where the Game Tilts

The glass: Valančiūnas commands double teams and crashes the boards. GB’s answer has to be Olaseni’s physicality, plus gang rebounding from Yeboah and Wheatle. If GB Basketball keep Lithuania to one shot, they can control tempo.

Ball pressure vs poise: Jokubaitis thrives at dragging defenses into rotations. GB’s guards must fight through screens without overhelping, while Ellis and Nelson need to take care of the ball at the other end. Lithuania punish live-ball turnovers by flowing directly into early offense.

Foul discipline: Lithuania win whistles. GB have to play vertical, avoid cheap fouls in the first five minutes of quarters, and make Lithuania earn it at the line.

Late-clock creation: If the game slows, Lithuania can lean on Jokubaitis or Giedraitis to generate looks. For GB, Ellis’ pick-and-roll game and Hesson’s set plays in the corners will be vital.

Stakes Beyond One Night

Lithuania enter as favorites not just in this game, but in Group B. Their bar is a medal push, and anything less than a top-two group finish is seen as underachieving. For Great Britain, the goal is clear: compete possession by possession, announce themselves as more than spoilers, and grab results that keep the Round of 16 dream alive. An opening win would send shockwaves, but even pushing Lithuania to the final minutes would reinforce the progress of the past two years.

How to Watch Great Britain vs Lithuania

Catch Great Britain vs Lithuania live and on-demand via Courtside 1891. Unlock with a Max Day Pass, Max Event or Max Annual Pass - your all-access ticket to EuroBasket 2025, including every group-stage battle and knockout showdown. Broadcast availability may vary by region.