Beijing - Spain eased past Croatia while Lithuania were too strong for hosts China in the quarter-finals of the Olympic basketball tournament on Wednesday. Spain chalked up a 72-59 victory over the Croatians, while Luithuania were 94-68 winners over China to set up a semi-final encounter on Friday.
Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol was the hero for world champions Spain, scoring 20 points in his 100th appearance for the national team and admitted relief at having gone one better than four years ago when Spain were defeated by USA.
He said: "We are delighted with the result. To be in the semi- finals at the Olympics was outstanding business for us and we have managed it.
"The quarter-finals can unfairly decide your tournament for you - if you progress or if you go home. No we are happy and we can start thinking about the semi-final.
Spain will be aiming to reach their first Olympic final in the sport since 1984 in Los Angeles. Olympic champions Argentina was due to play Greece, and USA face Australia later in the day.
"We played with great intensity in defence, and that took pressure off us in attack, because we knew we could be more or less on target and we were covered at the back anyway. We played 100 per cent from the start," Gasol added.
Younger brother Marc agreed, saying: "In defence we have done an almost perfect job. We played at a high level, as we know how to play."
Coach Aito Garcia Reneses added: "We have done a great job at the back, with great focus. In attack we were not at the same level, the level was a little bit below that in defence. But the team played well."
Sarunas Jasikevicius scored 23 points to lead Lithuania's charge against China, with Ramunas Siskauskas and Linas Kleiza bagging 15 each, while Houston Rockets center Yao Ming top scored for China with 19.
