Photo by: SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
MBB | Murauskas Shines in FIBA U20 Eurobasket Tournament
7/23/2024 2:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
GDANSK, Poland – The FIBA U20 Eurobasket Tournament wrapped up this past weekend, with Gaels fans treated to a taste of what incoming sophomore Paulius Murauskas will bring to the table. The 6-8 former Arizona Wildcat started at the four for Team Lithuania throughout the tournament, leading his nation to a fifth place finish in the event, hosted in Poland. Murauskas is one of six incoming Gaels that Head Coach Randy Bennett has brought in for the 2024-25 campaign.
Murauskas started the tournament off with bang, as the big man could not miss in Lithuania's opener against Iceland. In a little under 20 minutes of action, Murauskas scored a team high 19 points and ripped down team best 12 boards, going a perfect 8-8 from the field and 3-3 from beyond the arc. Lithuania cruised to a 30 point victory over Iceland, but had difficulties in their second group stage match against Slovenia, falling 69-62, in a contest that featured 10 lead changes. Murauskas went for just four points, but used this as motivation to fuel him throughout the remainder of the tournament. In a must win game against Montenegro to move on from the group stage, Murauskas logged his second double-double in three games, going for 13 and 12, while dishing out a team best six assists in a 96-48 win over the Balkan Nation.
With their ticket punched to the round of 16, Lithuania opened knockout play with a matchup against Turkey. Murauskas and Lithuania cruised to another double-digit victory, as the double-double machine notched another one, this time with 18 points and 16 rebounds. In a game that saw 11 tied and 17 lead changes, Lithuania fell in their quarterfinal matchup with Greece, but that didn't stop Murauskas from scoring a team high 15 points.
Following their loss to Greece, Lithuania would win out in the consolation bracket to earn fifth place in the tournament. In the consolation portion of the tournament, Murauskas turned his play up to another level. First, against Spain, Muraskas scored 29 points to go along with 11 rebounds. As an encore performance, he once again dropped 29 against Czechia, locking up fifth place in the tournament for his country.
At the culmination of the tournament, Murauskas finished as the second leading scorer (18.1 PPG), behind only current Duquesne forward Jakub Necas (Czechia), and as the second leading rebounder (10.3 RPG), behind only 2026 NBA Draft Prospect Nate Missia-Dio (Belgium). Murauskas and Missia-Dio were the only two players at the event to average double-doubles, with the latter finishing with five in seven contests, and the former finishing with four in seven.
Murauskas looks to keep the momentum he built up in Poland rolling in offseason practices back in Moraga, as the Gaels get geared up for the start of their 2024-25 campaign in November.
#GaelsRise
Murauskas started the tournament off with bang, as the big man could not miss in Lithuania's opener against Iceland. In a little under 20 minutes of action, Murauskas scored a team high 19 points and ripped down team best 12 boards, going a perfect 8-8 from the field and 3-3 from beyond the arc. Lithuania cruised to a 30 point victory over Iceland, but had difficulties in their second group stage match against Slovenia, falling 69-62, in a contest that featured 10 lead changes. Murauskas went for just four points, but used this as motivation to fuel him throughout the remainder of the tournament. In a must win game against Montenegro to move on from the group stage, Murauskas logged his second double-double in three games, going for 13 and 12, while dishing out a team best six assists in a 96-48 win over the Balkan Nation.
With their ticket punched to the round of 16, Lithuania opened knockout play with a matchup against Turkey. Murauskas and Lithuania cruised to another double-digit victory, as the double-double machine notched another one, this time with 18 points and 16 rebounds. In a game that saw 11 tied and 17 lead changes, Lithuania fell in their quarterfinal matchup with Greece, but that didn't stop Murauskas from scoring a team high 15 points.
Following their loss to Greece, Lithuania would win out in the consolation bracket to earn fifth place in the tournament. In the consolation portion of the tournament, Murauskas turned his play up to another level. First, against Spain, Muraskas scored 29 points to go along with 11 rebounds. As an encore performance, he once again dropped 29 against Czechia, locking up fifth place in the tournament for his country.
At the culmination of the tournament, Murauskas finished as the second leading scorer (18.1 PPG), behind only current Duquesne forward Jakub Necas (Czechia), and as the second leading rebounder (10.3 RPG), behind only 2026 NBA Draft Prospect Nate Missia-Dio (Belgium). Murauskas and Missia-Dio were the only two players at the event to average double-doubles, with the latter finishing with five in seven contests, and the former finishing with four in seven.
Murauskas looks to keep the momentum he built up in Poland rolling in offseason practices back in Moraga, as the Gaels get geared up for the start of their 2024-25 campaign in November.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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