In a not-so-expected turn of events, Team USA found itself on the receiving end of some international basketball lessons as Lithuania triumphed with a 110-104 victory. It was a night of ups, downs, and a fair share of head-scratching moments that left everyone wondering if our stars and stripes had been woven together a bit too tightly. Lithuania, known for its impressive history in international basketball, decided to add another chapter to its illustrious book by pulling off a spectacular win against the U.S. How did they do it, you ask? Well, they bullied, out-executed, and quite simply, outperformed the Americans. It's like they had a secret playbook written in basketball hieroglyphics that Team USA couldn't decipher. Sure, there were moments of hope for the red, white, and blue. A 15-2 run in the third quarter gave us a glimmer of optimism. We even managed to cut the lead to four points in the final minute. But let's face it, folks, we were like a dog chasing its tail, always moving but never quite getting there. What made Lithuania's performance truly sensational was their ability to blend their strengths and rise to the occasion. Some loose balls bounced their way, and the officiating left us scratching our heads, but hey, it was a fair-and-square impressive showing. In a display of collective brilliance, nine different Lithuanian players made a 3-pointer, six grabbed at least three rebounds, six dished out at least two assists, and five hit double figures in scoring. It was like they had a basketball buffet and everyone was feasting. As for Team USA, Anthony Edwards led the charge with 35 points, coming within a hair's breadth of breaking Kevin Durant's scoring record for Team USA. Mikal Bridges put in a commendable effort, contributing 14 points and working as if he had an Energizer battery in his sneakers. Yet, it just wasn't enough. "I hate losing, I probably won't sleep much tonight," lamented Team USA coach Steve Kerr. "But for us to get better, we needed to feel this, we needed to respond the way we did." On the bright side, amidst the hoops and hollers of defeat, there was an unexpected silver lining. Thanks to losses by the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Puerto Rico, the U.S. managed to clinch a spot in the Paris Olympics. A bit of good news to balance out the disappointment, reminding us that in the world of international basketball, you win some, you lose some, and sometimes you get a free ticket to the Olympics.