By Cesare Milanti/ info@eurohoops.net
In the first game without Keenan Evans, Zalgiris Kaunas managed to get the 87-77 on-the-road win against Virtus Bologna, the second in a row after beating Fenerbahce at home in Round 17.
The Ulanovas-Bradzeikis duo led the way for the green-and-white team from the beginning. The first had 15 points, while the former Orlando Magic forward scored 17 with 5 rebounds.
Rolands Smits also had an impressive game. The former Barcelona player went close to a double-double with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Arnas Butkevicius added 13.
The newcomers Isaiah Taylor, who was signed to replace Keenan Evans for the rest of the season, and Achille Polonara combined for 12 points off the bench in their debut with Zalgiris.
“I’m very proud of my team. We won against a great team. We had a good effort, 11 offensive rebounds and sometimes we were far from the good quality basketball”, Kazys Maksvytis said in the post-game press conference.
Milos Teodosic was by far the best player for Virtus Bologna, recording his first double-double of the EuroLeague season. The Serbian leader had 21 points and 12 assists off the bench.
Semi Ojeleye followed him with 11 points. Nobody else on the black-and-white ended the game in double-digits.
“They deserved to win. We had a really slow start, which is not really acceptable. Then we fought, we made a terrific effort to come back, and then Isaiah Taylor made the difference. He rebuilt the gap which was not unfillable but psychologically it was a big hit in our stomachs. We still tried to come back, but the difference in free throws and rebounds are the most evident data”, Sergio Scariolo said after the loss
Virtus Bologna found the first lead of the game in the third period at 59-58 after that Zalgiris started the game hot in the first quarter, which ended 24-13 for the guests.
The home side struggled at the charity stripe (15/22, 68.2%), while Zalgiris Kaunas was pretty efficient at the line (28/33, 84.8%). Virtus prevailed in sharing the ball (24 vs 11 assists), but the guests dominated under the basket (38 vs 24 rebounds).
Sergio Scariolo didn’t have Nicolo Mannion, who suffered a bruised shoulder in Round 17, and Awudu Abass, who has been out long-term with a knee injury.
Kazys Maksvytis, instead, didn’t have Tyler Cavanaugh, Mantas Kalnietis, and Liutauras Lelevicius, other than Keenan Evans, who will miss the rest of the season after suffering an Achilles injury.
PHOTO CREDIT: Zalgiris Kaunas