Sarunas Jasikevicius scored 12 of his 28 points in the last 3 minutes

The United States finally played hard, and well for 40 minutes in an Olympic basketball game but not enough to overcome European champions Lithuania.

Sarunas Jasikevicius erupted for 28 points - 12 of them in the final 2:47 minutes - to lead the Baltic side to a 94-90 win over Team USA.

The result doesn't guarantee a medal, but could have damaged the psyche of an American team that's already been feeling the heat for its lack of success, and disappointing effort in Athens.

"I looked at the guys and said this means nothing," Jasikevicius said.

		“	It means nothing if we don't go on to win the medal	„
		Sarunas Jasikevicius

"It means nothing if we don't go on to win the medal."

The medal, rest assured, is gold.

In four games now, Lithuania have distinguished themselves as one of the top two teams in this Olympics.

The debate about "closing the gap" is old and outdated.

The gap has been closed for a while, ever since the United States team of NBA stars lost three times at FIBA's 2002 World Championships.

This Olympics, in which the United States have also lost to Puerto Rico, merely reconfirms that the NBA game doesn't always translate well to the international one.

Spain, whose national side Lithuania beat in last year's European Championships title game, have also marched to victory in their opening four games and are looking good for a gold medal bid.

		Saulius Stombergas

But the success over the US, particularly after trailing by nine with less than four minutes to play, clearly gives Lithuania a psychological edge should the two sides meet again in the medal round.

"It's a very tough team to play, but everybody has to understand that international basketball has grown a lot and if they don't play their best game they can lose," Jasikevicius said immediately after walking off the court.

But really, the US had played their best game, which speaks volumes about how good Lithuania really are.

The US were abysmal in their 92-73 defeat to Puerto Rico, and only scraped by Greece and then Australia.

In this game, they followed coach Larry Brown's instructions and either delivered the entry pass to big men Tim Duncan or Carlos Boozer, penetrated, or shot from long range if the opportunity closer in didn't materialise.

Lithuania trailed, and had players in foul trouble, but never seemed out of the game.

It did help that the US missed 11 of the 33 free throws they attempted, but the ability to win such a high-profile game against a team which already had a fragile psyche surely bodes well for Lithuania.

Jasikevicius doesn't like the tag of favourites.

"They're still the favourite for the gold medal," Jasikevicius insisted, "because they possess the most talented and skilled team in the tournament and if they play as well as they can, they can win against anybody."

Then, in the post-match press conference, he admitted: "It's a big win in terms of psychology, but the essential is to win the quarter-final game which will bring us closer to the medals."

It's not surprising that the one play that turned the tide in this game had Jasikevicius at the centre of it.

		Allen Iverson

With 2:47 left and the United States leading 84-81, Jasikevicius launched a shot from behind the arc with the shot clock winding down.

Team USA were, at this point, attempting to keep the pressure on the Lithuanian shooters, especially after America's coaches witnessed the carnage of two nights ago when Lithuania repeatedly buried jump shots from long range against Greece.

As Jasikevicius released his shot, Lamar Odom fell toward the Maccabi Tel Aviv star and just as the ball fell through the hoop, Odom crashed into the Lithuanian.

Odom, traded to the Los Angeles Lakers this summer by the Miami Heat for Shaquille O'Neal, was hit with a foul.

Jasikevicius made the free throw for a four-point play and an 85-84 advantage.

The United States never recovered and were behind for the rest of the game. 

US coach Brown has been a huge champion of international basketball but, after Jasikevicius' points total and seven three-pointers, he played down Jasikevicius' talents.

"Jasikevicius is a great player, but I don't think he would make it in the NBA with the kind of screens set there," he said.

Brown's implication was that players are allowed to set harder screens in the international game.

"I am a fan of international basketball, but I believe that even its best players would struggle in our league."

		Italy's Gianluca Basile

In other games, Italy were 89-52 winners over China. Giacomo Galanda had 22 points and the Azzurri restricted Yao Ming to just nine points in the win.

Spain kept up their winning ways with a 76-68 triumph over Serbia & Montenegro.

The Spanish had five players hit double figures in scoring, led by Jose Manuel Calderon's 15.

And Greece routed Angola 88-56, the African champions missing key man Miguel Lutonda through injury.

Puerto Rico got the better of Australia 87-82, and Argentina escaped with a 98-94 win over New Zealand - a game decided in the final 30 seconds.