Lithuania and Greece will figh for the gold - Aug 14, 2005
Lithuania did not have bigger problems in the semifinal game against undefeated (so far) Australia, beating them by 23 points. Lithuania show very effective team game with 4 players scoring double figures, while Paulius Jankunas (205-F-84, agency: Interperformances) had impressive double-double (15 points and 15 rebounds). In the other semifinal game Greece managed to get victory over Canada 74-61, stopping hero of the game against USA - Levon Kendall (210-F-84), who had just 8 points.
In other games USA outscored Puerto Rico by 20 points, host Argentina gave no chance to Slovenia with comfortable 70-43 victory, and Nigeria upset Israel 110-104 in 9th place game.

Semifinals:
Greece - Canada 74-61 (Vasileiadis 18, Mavrokefalidis 17+10r, Vasilopoulos 15+6r - Rautins 14, Francis 12, Kendall 8+7r)
A strong defensive work, a great ball handling in offensives and a winner spirit were the keys in another spectacular Greek triumph. Greece beat Canada 74 to 61 and became the first U21 Championship finalist.
HC Greece: Manos Manouselis "I think it was a game against ourselves, not because Canada would be a great rival, though we wanted to challenge our destiny. In the past we reached different semi finals and we lost all of them. So the way we would think this game it was a huge psychological problem. With regard to this particular match it was very competitive. Both of us played a good defence. Our main strengthen were rebounds; that gave us more chances to win. About the finals I do not have preferences. If the others teams reach this stage is because they are good."
Lithuania - Australia 96-73 (Maciulis 19, Seibutis 17+5r, Jankunas 15+15r, Prekevicius 14 - Carter 19, Markovic 14, Newley 11)
Lithuania ratified his power and versatility with an excellent victory against Australia, 96 to 73. Consequently, this team classified to the U21 Championship finals. Tomorrow, at 9.50 PM, Lithuania will face Greece. Australia will try to rank 3th in a match against Canada.
HC Lituania: Ramunas Butautas "We know Australia very well, because we played against them a lot of times. They had strong players and good three point’s shooters. So, our mission in this match was slowed down the rhythm; not played fast as they wanted. Today, we had a great defence, but also an intelligent offensive. Now I want to celebrate this huge step; we will have time to think about tomorrow. I know we are prepared and we will win this tournament."
5-8th places:
USA - Puerto Rico 99-79 (Ray 17+8r, J.Gray 16, Fazekas 9+9r - Barea 23+6r+6a, Vassalo 13+7r, Ramos 12+13r)
United States beat Puerto Rico 99 to 79 and continue in the fight to rank 5th in the Championship. Although Puerto Rico tried to react in the third quarter using its individual stars, it was more important the American team’s production.
HC USA Phil Martelli "The human nature is hard. It was difficult to go out and play after yesterday’s defeat. In the second quarter we could make an important difference and then we could maintain it. With regard to having or not stars on the team, it is something positive, but also I think that we have played as a team along this tournament."
Argentina - Slovenia 70-43 (Mainoldi 17, Treise 17, Sandes 11+12r+5a, Schattmann 11 - Lorbek 13, Zagorc 11+5r, Rizvic 8)
Argentina obtained a clear victory against Slovenia, 70 to 43, in the last game of the day. Tomorrow, Argentina will fight for achieve the 5th position in the final rank and will face United States team. The control in the rebounds, the aggressive offensive and the high effectiveness in three points shots (50%) were the winner’s more effective tools. Argentina started the game reaching a difference of 13 points in seven minutes (19 to 6).
HC Argentina: Gonzalo Garcia "Our defence opened the game for us and Slovenia could not damage our game style. Over that base we ran and had more options to choose the right offensives. Really, our defence was the key in this victory. During this tournament we did not feel a pressure for being locals, and I do not think that referees have done things in our favour."
9th place: Nigeria - Israel 110-104 (Usman 34+6r+9a, Gumut 17, Echefu 16+5r - Halperin 34, Eliyahu 24+13r+8a, Nir 10)
In a very tied game, Nigeria got the 9th position in the tournament after beating Israel 110-104 in overtime (they tied in 93 in regular time). In the OT, Abubakar Usman came out to an outstanding performance (he scored 9 of his 34 points in the OT), so it was decisive to earn the win.
HC Nigeria: Sanni Ahmed "The players followed very well the instructions that we had planned before the match. Israel is a very good team in the fast break points, so we wanted to slow the game’s rhythm and to defend the penetrations in a tough way. Besides, we could make a lot of points from the paint and the free throws line."

  Canada upsets USA in the quarterfinals - Aug 13, 2005
This is another step in a chain of USA "accidents" in basketball World as this time is was underestimated Canada, which stopped over-confident USA. It was easy to see that all other teams were cheering for Canadians and the coutry, whose citizen invented basketball, won the game edging Americans 93-90. Another upset was host Argentina losing the game to Lithuania. But Lithuania has a long tradition of sending very skilled group of youngsters and many consider this result as no surprise at all. Host team was a little bit overwhelmed with big preassure. Australia and Greece will complete semifinals as they beat Slovenia (89-80) and Puerto Rico (88-63) consecutively.
Israel gave no chance to China in the classifications.
Quarterfinals:
Lithuania - Argentina 76-63 (Babrauskas 15+5r, Seibutis 15, Jankunas 14+6r, Jomantas 12 - Mainoldi 26+7r, Sandes 10+9r, Weigand 7)
Lithuania became the only team of venue Mar del Plata that has reached the U21 Championship semi finals. This team has beaten Argentina 76 to 63, in the last game of the day.
HC LTU Ramunas Butautas: "It was a great battle on the court and a great game for Argentina. I think that this championship’s system is wrong because good teams, for example Lithuania and Argentina, face each other in quarter finals and obligatorily one must be out of the tournament. Argentinean team has brilliant players, and I am sure that they will be stars in the future. Just in the final quarter we could break Argentinean defence, and theirs fouls and turnovers helped us to reach the victory."
Australia - Slovenia 89-80, OT (Maric 21+8r, Newley 14+6r, Markovic 14 - Zagorac 25+9r, Lorbek 20, Zagorc 19)
In an extremely tied end, Australia beat Slovenia 89 to 80, in over time (the game was tied in 69), and classified for the semi – finals.
HC AUS Guy Molloy: "We had to think and develop an intense game along the forty minutes, actually forty five minutes, to be able to win. One of ours strengthens was the physical preparation and power. The key in this match was respecting our game style. Regarding the following games I do not want to think about it; I want to enjoy this victory with my players."
Greece - Puerto Rico 88-63 (Vasileiadis 27+6r, Mavrokefalidis 18+8r, Vasilopoulos 13+6r - Barea 17, Verdejo 15, Galindo 12)
Another terrific collective performance, based in the attitude and defensive coordination, let Greece to easily beat Puerto Rico, 88 to 63, and to qualify to the semi – finals of the U21Championship. Tomorrow, Greece will face Canada.
HC GRE Manos Manouselis: "We did a great defence. At Cordoba we won three games because of our work in the defence aspect. We showed an aggressive game style. Porto Rican has two amazing players, Ramos and Barea. We were focus on them, we put pressured on them and we had success in doing that. Besides, we made good shots and assistances. I would like to congratulate my players. We have already known Canada and I think it will be a great match."
USA - Canada 90-93, OT (Ray 16, Redick 14, T.Gray 13. J.Gray 13, Rondo 12, Gay 10+10r - Kendall 40 (!!!) +12r, Kuljanin 12+6r, Doornekamp 12+9r, Kou 10)
With one of the most spectaculars individual performance in all the championship, that one made by the blond forward Levon Kendall (210-F-84) (40 points, 12 rebounds, a three point made and a decisive steal), Canada gave the tournament’s surprise defeating United Stated 93 to 90, in over time (the game was tied in 82 points). Extremely tough game where despite role of underdogs, Canadians took control from the first minutes. USA team stormed back in 3rd quarter, but Canada managed to tie the game in regular time and get 3-points victory in the final seconds of overtime. The real hero of the game was Levon Kendall (210-F-84), who scored amazing 40 points and grabbed 12 rebounds that evening. It's worth to mention that Kendall spent most of last season on a bench in one of USA colleges (Pittsburgh), while tonight the selection of American stars from the same colleges could only congratulate and wonder what was wrong...
HC Can Dave Crook: "We know Canada as a rival; to win you have to play perfectly all the game, the forty minutes. We were closed to do that. About the next games, we know Greece very well, is a tough team. We have not played against Porto Rican until now, but I think that is a great rival."
HC USA Phil Martelli: "Canada´s performance was outstanding. Kendall made forty points, but as a team they played very well. The defence was exceptional; they took 16 offensive rebounds. About United States I must say that since the Olympics we were not able to win to FIBA´s teams. Especially in this game, our mistake was that we made fewer points than they."

9-11th Places Classification:
Israel - China 95-74 (Halperin 24, Eliyahu 21+5r, Limonad 16+10r+5a - Meng 22, Sun 22, Chen 10)
Israel gained a comfortable victory against China 95 to 4 in the ninth position qualy. China team did not win any game in all the championship and left the tournament, ranking eleventh.
HC ISR Arik Shibek: "We respect China team because of theirs games here, at Mar del Plata, and his score against Slovenia. We took this match very seriously, felling very disappointed because of our failures at Cordoba. It is not easy for a coach to prepare mentally the team, especially when we lost four games. But these players came here to win."

  Preliminary Round Day 5 Summary - Aug 11, 2005
Australia, the only undefeated team together with USA, upset Argentina in the last day of eliminations.
USA barely managed to avoid surprising loss by edging Slovenia by 3 points. It was also overtime, but Miha Fon (194-G-84) 's 3-pointer was not successful.

Group A:
Argentina - Australia 76-82 (Sandes 23+8r, Schattmann 18, Alloatti 11+9r - Markovic 20+5r, Newley 19+6r, Bruce 14)
ARG H.Coach Gonzalo García: "It is evident that the game was divided into two parts. What we didn’t do in the first half and what we did in the second. We didn’t have offensive or defensive answers to cope with this great team which has shown why it is one of the best formative teams. It is good that we left with the image we gave in the second half so that we face the following round differently"
Israel - Canada 66-78 (Halperin 22, Limonad 16 - Gallimore 24, Rautins 14, Blackwood 12)
CAN H.Coach Dave Crook: "It is better to win than to lose. We played better in the second half and our defence was stronger. It was very important to have Andrew Rautins that hadn’t played in the previous games"

Group B:
Nigeria - Puerto Rico 72-90 (Gumut 19+4r, Odiakosa 14+6r, Usman 14+7r+8a - Ramos 18+4r, Barea 17+6r+7a, Galindo 14+4r)
PUR H.Coach Carlos Calcaño "I am glad and satisfied with the effort of my team; we had a good beginning in this championship. In this round we improved our level, from the bottom to the top. I would like to congratulate Nigeria, they played well. Now, we are analyzing the next round, when we will have to play good defences and be smart in the offensive."
Lithuania - China 96-75 (Maciulis 12, Jankunas 10+6r, Kavaliauskas 10+5r, Babrauskas 10+4r - Luo 14+4r, Meng 14, Zhang 12+5r)
Lithuania controled the boards (42 rebounds) and and was better in almost every single statistical category than the Chinese. The victory was never in doubt and coach Ramunas Butautas used all 12 players of his team.
Jonas Maciulis: "We didn't play at our best, we could have done much better. China had an effective Zone defence. At least we played better in the second half"
USA - Slovenia 82-79 (Withers 15, Roberts 14+5r, Ray 12 - Zagorac 15+8r, Venta 10+5r)
USA H.Coach Phil Martelli: "In any level that basketball is played, professional or college level, not always who plays better is who wins. Today, that has happened. Slovenia had a very good performance; we did not expect a tied game like this one. His good production it will be seen in the tournament."