By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Behind a solid performance in the fourth quarter, Zalgiris earned the win, 81-75, against rival Rytas in Zalgirio Arena Monday.
Fueling the eighth consecutive win across all competitions, five players scored in double-digits, including Tomas Dimsa putting up a team-high 13 points in Lithuania’s Betsafe LKL Regular Season contest. Captain Edgaras Ulanovas chipped in six points, eight rebounds, and two assists for a team-high efficiency rating of 15. Isaiah Taylor was ruled out due to a strained thigh as Tyler Cavanaugh (back) and Keenan Evans (Achilles) both stayed on the injury list.
On the losing end, Gytis Radzevicius stood out with a game-high 17 points. Picking up an injury, Martynas Echodas joined Tomas Lekunas and Benedek Varadi on the list of unavailable players for play-caller Giedrius Zibenas. Newcomer Jaime Echenique was not ready for his overseas debut.
Coming in with six LKL wins in a row, the team based in Vilnius lead most of the way before the last ten minutes. From falling into a double-digit deficit midway through the fourth period and getting back into shooting distance with 28.1 seconds on the clock, it ultimately surrendered and dropped to 21-6. Despite missing three free throws in crunch time, the team coached by Kazys Maksvytis jumped to 23-4 for a convincing lead in the hunt for the top seed in the Playoffs bracket with six outings left on the regular-season schedule.
Barcelona and Jasikevicius
Zalgiris will play two more domestic games before switching to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs best-of-five series opposite FC Barcelona. The first game against the team coached by club great Sarunas Jasikevicius is scheduled to take place in Palau Blaugrana next Wednesday, 26 April. Previously, the Kaunas outfit will visit Pieno Zvaigzdes Thursday and host Wolves Saturday.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net