Spain ended the EuroBasket Women on a high by beating Lithuania in Ankara on Sunday to snatch bronze for the third time in a row.

Having suffered a disappointing semi-final defeat to the Czechs, Domingo Diaz's team bounced back for a convincing 83-65 win.

Lithuania have the consolation of being one of Europe's five representatives at the FIBA World Championship for Women 2006.

The Baltic country, like Spain, secured its passage by reaching the semi-finals.

Spain began the bronze medal clash like a whirlwind, scoring the game's first nine points.

A pair of Marta Fernandez free throws with a little more than a minute toplay in the opening quarter gave them a 19-5 advantage.

Lithuania twice closed to within eight points in the second quarter, but they would get no closer the rest of the way.

Anna Montanana had 21 points and Marta Fernandez 19 for Spain, while their veteran Amaya Valdemoro poured in 15 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and came up with five steals.

Spain won bronze at the 2003 EuroBasket after staging a late comeback against Poland. They should be among the medal contenders in Brazil at next year's FIBA World Championship.

Iveta Marcauskaite and Sandra Valuzyte each had 13 points for Lithuania.