By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A big-time performance from experienced Croatian big man, Ivan Buva sends Rytas Vilnius to the win, 82-69, against Besiktas Icrypex on Wednesday.
Buva, 30, poured a game-high 27 points behind 8/14 field goals facing his former team in Basketball Champions League Regular Season Round 4. Lithuanian teammate Margiris Normantas threw in 15 more points, while Gytis Radzevicius further pleased the Avia Solutions Group Arena crowd posting an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double plus three steals and a couple of assists.
Key player Vaidas Kariniauskas, injured in the reverse fixture, was out along with Tanner Leissner and Jarvis Williams. However, a 2-2 record now illustrates the Group H picture for the team led by Giedrius Zibenas, which currently shares Lithuania’s LKL lead with Zalgiris Kaunas, at 8-1.
The career-best 26 points for the former NBA forward, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was not enough for the Black Eagles in the Lithuania visit. Jordan Bone followed with 13 points. Isaiah Whitehead put in 11 points and Dedric Lawson combined his eight points with ten rebounds.
Ahmet Kandemir’s side, missing both Egehan Arna and Ercan Osmani at Vilnius, was coming off six wins in a row across all competitions but fell to 2-2 in Group H and also surrendered the tiebreaker advantage to the Lithuanian outlet. The streak previously pushed the W-L tally in Turkey’s BSL to 5-3.
In Champions League Round 5 crucial games for both teams, Rytas is scheduled to host EWE Baskets Oldenburg and Besiktas to take on back-to-back champion Hereda San Pablo Burgos.
Postgame press conference:
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League