By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Zalgiris (13-11) snaps a three-game losing streak in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. The Lithuanian team managed to defeat Baskonia (13-11) in a nail-biter in Kaunas 79-75 in round 24.
In one of the more interesting games this round, Zalgiris celebrates a victory that keeps the play-off dream alive. Bout teams are now identical on the standings alongside Partizan.
“In the last 2-3 minutes, we missed all the shots. We missed all the shots, and it is impossible to win in the last minutes if you don’t score“, said Baskonia coach Joan Penarroya.
Rolands Smits led the way with 20 points, Edgaras Ulanovas scored 16 points, and Ignas Brazdeikis followed with 15.
“I think that stopping the transition [was the key], because they are a very good team in transition, and playing hard from the first minute because they are playing very tough basketball, so we needed to start first. In some episodes, we didn’t play how we needed to play but after that, we started to play as a team, tough basketball and it led to a win. It is crazy [the atmosphere] like always here, sold out. It is so good to play here!“, Rolands Smits said.
For Baskonia Markus Howard scored 15 points.
It was a back-and-forth first half, with as many as 11 lead changes, Zalgiris improved its offense once Brazdeikis stepped onto the court, but Baskonia was more diversified, with solid performances from Enoch, Giedraitis, and Howard. The Spanish side managed to have a four-point lead at halftime (42-38) many because of Geidraitis and Howard playing strong in the second quarter each scoring nine points.
Rolands Smits was determined to get Zagiris back in the game. And that he did, Baskonia had a two-point lead going into the fourth quarter (60-58). In a back-and-forth, period, Ulanovas scored to give the Lithuanians a two-point edge, but just for 20 seconds as Vanja Marinkovic responded with his first tree pointer (71-70). At that point, there were just over four minutes left on the game clock, and Baskonia could not find a rhythm in the critical moments. Smits and Dimsa managed to secure a four-point lead with 10 seconds left which was enough for a victory.
“I liked all of this game. We talk about character and fighting until the end. We were behind almost all of the game. It wasn’t easy to be like this, but congratulations to my players and the fans. We fought until the end. We thought that we would win, and we won. It is very important because after some losses you have some doubts, [even] if you are in a good way or not. We have a couple of days of rest, a couple of days with practices and [then] the team is back on the road. We are very happy“, Kazys Maksvytis added.