Lithuania 3-0 after beating Russia

BEIJING (AP) – Rimantas Kaukenas scored 20 points to lead Lithuania defeated Russia 86-79 Thursday in men’s basketball.

In what had been a close game, Lithuania went up five, 82-77, on a 3-pointer by Jonas Maciulis with just over three minutes to go. Ramunas Siskauskas added 16 points for Lithuania.

J.R. Holden, born in Pittsburgh, Pa., scored 25 points to lead Russia. Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko finished with 17.

“We knew the game would be very hard. We were prepared,” said Lithuanian coach Butautas Ramunas. “The key was defense.”

Lithuania out-rebounded Russia 48-34, while the Russians were just 22-for-37 (59 percent), from the free throw line.