Basketball New Zealand

FIBA World Championship for Men logo

Lithuania received a couple of setbacks this week ahead of the FIBA World Championship for Men with Rimantas Kaukenas and Marjonas Petravicius ruled out of the tournament.

Doctors have told the Armani Jeans Milano centre he cannot play because of the back injury that plagued him this season.

The 30-year-old, who missed the latter part of the Lega A campaign and the entire Lega A playoffs with the injury, was the starting centre on the Lithuania team that won just once last summer at the EuroBasket in Poland.

“It’s sad that he will probably not be able to help the national team,” said Lithuania coach Kestutis Kemzura, who also confirmed the 32-year-old Kaukenas won’t play.

“Yes, he [Kaukenas] already gave the answer. Not a very good one for the national team, but we have to respect it.

“Kaukenas will not play because of family-related matters.”

Kaukenas may not have made the team anyway after a disappointing campaign at Real Madrid which saw him dropped from the squad late in the regular season.

Lithuania received a wild card to play at the FIBA World Championship and will compete in Group D against the Tall Blacks, Canada, Lebanon, France and Spain.