Brighton Bears have been told they WILL face one of the new giants of European basketball in freezing Lithuania today.
Robertas Javtokas, a 7ft centre being groomed for NBA stardom by champions San Antonio Spurs, has been cleared to play for Lietuvos Rytas, despite a groin problem.
That means he faces the Bears in a key ULEB Cup Group F contest today (4.30pm GMT).
Javtokas missed last week's 46-point demolition of Split but a specialist in San Antonio has told him surgery can be delayed until the summer and sent him back to Europe to complete the season.
Bears were met by thick snow and temperatures hovering just below freezing when they arrived in the stunning old city of Vilnius yesterday.
They trained for almost two hours last night with the accent on stopping the Lithuanian high-flyers' attacking work.
Home coach Jonas Kazlauskas refused an interview, as he did in Brighton, but his assistant Kestutis Kemzura admitted: "We want to be first in this group. Results show Brighton are a good team but we are ready."
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