USA falls to Lithuania at World Cup but still qualifies for Paris Olympics

Anthony Edwards scored 35 points in USA’s loss to Lithuania on Sunday.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — 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.

The loss — the first for the U.S. in 10 games this summer, counting five exhibitions on the way to the World Cup — came on a night when the Americans officially clinched a berth in the Paris Games.

And the loss won’t necessarily hurt them in the World Cup medal chase, either. The U.S. will play a quarterfinal game on Tuesday, when the knockout stage for the final eight teams begins. Win Tuesday, win Thursday and win next Sunday, and the Americans are gold medalists.