Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Germany 109, Lithuania 107: Magic's Franz Wagner Leads Country to Victory in Double OT
ORLANDO - Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner is recovering after a massive effort to lead the German National Team to a 109-107 double OT win over Lithuania Sunday in the third game of pool play at EuroBasket 2022.
Germany and Lithuania, led by New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas and featuring former Magic wing Ignas Brazdeikis, played a pretty even first half. Germany led by just five points going into halftime, but Lithuania was in striking distance to stay in the game.
In the fourth quarter, Germany and Lithuania played it tight. The Germans took a 82-75 lead, the largest of the quarter, with four minutes left, but Lithuania began to chip away, tying the game with seven seconds to go thanks to a Valanciunas tip in to send the contest to overtime.
Wagner had a chance to win the game for Germany at the end of the first overtime, but he missed the game-winning bucket, sending the game to a second OT.
Wagner struggled in the second overtime, but free agent point guard Dennis Schroder took over. Schroder scored five of his 25 points to help push Germany ahead, but it came down to defense at the very end. Lithuania had a chance to tie the game with five seconds to go, but Brazdeikis missed the layup. Lithuania grabbed the rebound and chucked up a three at the end, but the shot never found the bottom of the net.
With Germany's win, the team improves to 3-0 in pool play and are inching closer to a spot in the knockout phase.
Germany will face Luka Doncic and Slovenia in its next contest Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. EST.
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