Brazil went 6-0 in its pre-Olympics exhibitions, including a victory over third-ranked Lithuania in the final round of the Brazil Super Challenge. However, the Rio Olympics hosts simply weren’t ready for the rematch to open the 2016 Games.
Captained by Lakers point guard Marcelo Huertas, the Brazilians trailed by as many as 30 points early in the third quarter. Huertas — who finished with five points, two rebounds and three assists in 14 minutes — sat the entire second half while his teammates nearly completed a historic comeback.
However, Lithuania managed to survive with an 82-76 victory at Carioca Arena 1.