EUROBASKET 2011

Turning Point: Spain trailed 7-6 but scored 16 unanswered points to take a 22-7 lead after seven minutes and never looked back.

Game Hero: Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro had 15 of his game-high 22 points in the first quarter.

Stats Don't Lie: Spain were 10 of 16 (63%) from three-point range in the first half compared to Lithuania's two of seven (29%). The Spaniards had three players in double figures at half-time as they led 62-36.

Defending champions Spain blew Lithuania away in the first quarter to win 91-79 on Sunday evening and secure top spot in Group A.

The triumph means Sergio Scariolo's men remain perfect in the tournament and are the first side from Panevezys to book a place in Round Two of the EuroBasket.

Lithuania, who had gone into the contest undefeated, take on Portugal on Monday, but will finish second behind Spain - and join them in Vilnius - regardless of the outcome of that game.

Spain point guard Juan Carlos Navarro poured in 15 of his game-high 22 points in the first quarter as Spain raced into a 31-12 lead.

Lithuania failed to hit a single basket two minutes into the second frame and Spain tightened the screw, scoring seven unanswered points for a 38-12 advantage after 12 minutes.

Spain went into the break 62-36 up.

"We knew we needed a good start and we got a good run early on," said Spain's Jose Manuel Calderon, who was one of the four Spanish players that finished in double digits.

"We played well from start to finish and we stepped up our game.

"We are happy to be in the next round but we still have one more game tomorrow and we want to win against Turkey."

Cheered by 5,000 faithful fans at the Panevezys Arena, Lithuania showed signs of recovery and outscored Spain 23-19 over the next frame but the damage was already done.

There was little the hosts could do to avoid defeat with Spain, who had entered the contest as the second worst three-point shooting team behind Italy in the competition, making 10 of 16 (63%) from behind the arc in the first half.

They finished 13 of 26 (50%) compared to Lithuania's seven of 19 (37%).

The absence of center Marijonas Petravicius, who is out of the tournament with a lung problem, hindered the hosts.