Wisconsin Badgers recruit Aleksas Bieliauskas puts up double-double in U20 FIBA Eurobasket debut

One week after Wisconsin Badgers' 2025 commit Hayden Jones dominated the U19 FIBA World Cup with New Zealand, another incoming freshman stepped up on the international stage.

Forward Aleksas Bieliauskas took the court for Lithuania on Saturday for FIBA's U20 Eurobasket Group Play and was one of the few bright spots for his country.

Lithuania fell to Greece 84-65 and shot just 28.6 percent from the field with 20 turnovers.

The 6-foot-9 forward registered a double-double in 28 minutes, totaling 10 points and 11 rebounds. He finished with a plus-minus of negative four, but that tied for the best mark on his team.

He shot just 2-for-8 from the field and made only one of his four attempts from three-point range, but Bieliauskas still showed why the Badgers staff decided to bring him over to the states.

He possesses an efficient shooting stroke with a quick trigger that allows him to be a true pick-and-pop threat.

All four of his three-point attempts Saturday came after setting a screen. While he didn't hit them at a high rate on Saturday, Bieliauskas shot 39.3 percent from distance in 45 games with his team Zalgiris II in Lithuania's second league.

His seemingly never-ending motor also stood out. Five of Bieliauskas' 11 rebounds came on the offensive end, and he was almost always in the mix for a rebound when a shot went up.

He was constantly moving off the ball, setting screens, rolling to the basket or adjusting his position to open a passing lane.

He has plenty of room for improvement, though. Bieliauskas' frame is too thin to be competitive on the low post in the Big Ten, and while he is a fluid mover, he often moves too fast for his own good.

He turned the ball over three times in the loss, all of which came on errant passes that looked forced or rushed. Those efforts did show that he was comfortable putting the ball on the floor, though.

With some physical refinement and coaching, two things Wisconsin has been able to offer its bigs, Bieliauskas has the upside to develop into a starting-caliber stretch four.

Bieliauskas and the U20 Lithuanian National Team will be back in action against the Czech Republic on Monday at 5:00 am CT.

Saturday's loss to Greece is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube.