Jazz's Kirilenko leads Russia into Euro final against Spain

MADRID, Spain — Spain beat defending champion Greece and Russia defeated Lithuania on Saturday to reach the final of the European basketball championship on Sunday.

Pau Gasol of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies scored 23 points and Jose Calderon made some big plays down the stretch in Spain's 82-77 victory in the first semifinal.

In the second, Utah Jazzman Andrei Kirilenko had 29 points and three blocks, and Russia withstood 30 points from Ramunas Siskauskas for a 86-74 victory that put the Russians in their record 19th final.

"We showed that when we have to fight in difficult moments, we know how to respond," Calderon said. "It was a really tough game ... even the coaches had to play hard in this game. It was a war."

Siskauskas' 3-pointer cut Russia's lead to 65-61 to start the final period, but Kirilenko and U.S.-born guard Jon Robert Holden responded to keep Lithuania from getting closer.

"This tournament we have not quit, not once," Russia coach David Blatt said. "In this tournament, we have played to win."

Holden finished with 18 points and Chicago Bulls forward Victor Khryapa chipped in 15 for Russia, which returned to the final for the first time in 15 years.

After the Toronto Raptors' Jorge Garbajosa hit two free throws to give Spain an 80-76 lead with 18 seconds to play, Theodoros Papaloukas lost the ball as he drove the lane. Juan Carlos Navarro, who also finished with 23 points, then hit two free throws at the other end. Calderon, a Raptors guard, scored 18 points.

Vassilis Spanoulis led Greece with 24 points and five assists in the game played before a capacity crowd of 15,500.