The U.S. males’s basketball staff misplaced to longtime European energy Lithuania on the FIBA World Cup however nonetheless superior to the quarterfinals and certified for the Olympics with a 4-1 file.

Lithuania, led by NBA veteran Jonas Valanciunas however with out All-NBA 7-footer Domantas Sabonis, thwarted the U.S. 110-104 in Manila on Sunday to take the highest spot within the group.

Both groups had already clinched quarterfinal spots final week, making this group-stage finale purely for seeding functions. The U.S. certified for the Olympics as one of many high two groups from the Americas on the World Cup.

The U.S., second within the group, will get one other group winner, Italy, in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.

FIBA WORLD CUP: Schedule, Results

The U.S. has now misplaced at the least one recreation at three consecutive international tournaments after two defeats on the 2019 World Cup (en path to a program-worst seventh-place end) and a group-stage defeat on the Tokyo Olympics (en path to a fourth consecutive gold).

Before that, the U.S. went undefeated to Olympic or world titles in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016.

The U.S. roster for this World Cup, coached by Steve Kerr, contains zero gamers with earlier Olympic or World Cup expertise and none who made an All-NBA staff.

Lithuania made the quarterfinals of seven consecutive Olympics from 1992 by means of 2016 (with bronze medals in 1992, 1996 and 2000) then didn’t qualify for the Tokyo Games.