Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings

Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Kaunas. First ranked Telsiai faced 4th ranked Omega-Tauras. Guests from Telsiai (18-6) smashed host Omega-Tauras (14-9) 97-73. They outrebounded Omega-Tauras 42-31 including a 30-16 advantage in defensive rebounds. Telsiai looked well-organized offensively handing out 31 assists. The best player for the winners was Rolandas Jakstas (202-1992) who had a double-double by scoring 17 points and 12 rebounds. Ovidijus Kaminskis (195-1991) chipped in 19 points and 5 rebounds. Telsiai’s coach Sandis Buskevics felt very confident that he used 10 players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was Robert Subotkevic (203-1998) who recorded 19 points and 8 rebounds. Telsiai have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 18-6 record. Omega-Tauras lost third consecutive game. Newly promoted team dropped to the sixth place with nine games lost. They share the position with Neptunas-Akv.. Telsiai are looking forward to face Zalgiris II (#9) in Kaunas in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Omega-Tauras will play at home against Silute and is hoping to prove to their fans that they can break losing series.
The game with biggest result difference took place in Palanga. Local Palanga (16-5) outscored 12th ranked Alytus (9-15) 107-58. It was a good game for point guard Nojus Pabrieza (180-2004) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 18 rebounds. Vytautas Sarakauskas contributed with 18 points (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. American point guard Malek Davis (180-2000, college: HSU, agency: Interperformances) replied with 18 points for Alytus. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Palanga have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place. Alytus lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the twelfth position with 15 games lost. Palanga will play against Vytis (#4) in Sakiai in the next round. Alytus will play at home against Vilkaviskis (#5) and hopes to get back on the winning track.

Rest of the games of round 24 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Vilkaviskis defeated Rytas 2 in a road game 74-63. Suduva-Mantinga was beaten by Silute at home 84-99. Kretinga lost to Stekas on the opponent’s court 58-76. Vytis managed to outperform P.Olimpas in a home game 84-77.

Palanga – Alytus 107-58

The game with biggest result difference took place in Palanga. Local Palanga (16-5) outscored 12th ranked Alytus (9-15) 107-58. Palanga dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Alytus‘ 32. They outrebounded Alytus 58-29 including a 37-14 advantage in defensive rebounds. Palanga players were unselfish on offense dishing 32 assists comparing to just 8 passes made by Alytus‘ players. It was a good game for point guard Nojus Pabrieza (180-2004) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 15 points and 18 rebounds. Center Vytautas Sarakauskas (204-1982) contributed with 18 points (on 7-of-9 shooting from the field) for the winners. Four Palanga players scored in double figures. American point guard Malek Davis (180-2000, college: HSU, agency: Interperformances) replied with 18 points and Serbian power forward Tomislav Miholjcic (211-1999, college: HSU) added 6 points and 9 rebounds in the effort for Alytus. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Palanga have a solid four-game winning streak. They moved-up to second place. Alytus lost fourth consecutive game. Newly promoted team keeps the twelfth position with 15 games lost. Palanga will play against Vytis (#4) in Sakiai in the next round. Alytus will play at home against Vilkaviskis (#5) and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
Palanga: V.Sarakauskas 18+4reb+2ast, H.Kumpys 18+2reb+3ast, N.Pabrieza 15+18reb+3ast, J.Jucikas 14+7reb+1ast, M.Stasys 12+1reb+6ast, T.Zelenskij 9+4reb+5ast
Alytus: M.Davis 18+2reb+1ast, L.Kazlauskas 9+4reb+3ast, I.Bytautas 9+4reb, M.Pocevicius 7+2reb, T.Miholjcic 6+9reb+1ast, G.Bumblys 4+1ast

gschID: 1217046

Rytas 2 – Vilkaviskis 63-74

There was no surprise in Vilnius where 14th ranked Rytas 2 (8-16) was defeated by sixth ranked Vilkaviskis (15-9) 74-63. It was a good game for Giedrius Stankevicius (207-1996) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 16 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. American guard Bryce McBride (188-2000, college: YSU) contributed with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Guard Arunas Rimkus (194-2004) replied with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and forward Gabrielius Jokubauskas (195-2006) added 12 points and 5 rebounds in the effort for Rytas 2. Rytas 2’s coach Gintaras Kadziulis rotated ten players in this game, but that didn’t help. Vilkaviskis moved-up to fifth place. Rytas 2 lost fifth consecutive game. They keep the fourteenth position with 16 games lost. Vilkaviskis will play against Alytus (#12) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Rytas 2 will play against Delikatesas and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Vilkaviskis: G.Stankevicius 16+11reb+1ast, S.Reiley 12+4reb, R.Stankevicius 10+3reb+3ast, R.Pocius 9+8reb, B.McBride 8+5reb+5ast, T.Pazarauskas 7+2reb+2ast
Rytas 2: A.Rimkus 14+7reb+5ast, M.Deniusas 14+4reb+1ast, G.Jokubauskas 12+5reb+3ast, I.Urbonas 8+7reb+1ast, A.Vilutis 4, D.Zukauskas 4+2reb

gschID: 1217049

Suduva-Mantinga – Silute 84-99

There was a small surprise in Marijampole where tenth ranked Silute (11-13) defeated 8th ranked Suduva-Mantinga (13-11) 99-84. Silute dominated down low during the game scoring 48 of its points in the paint compared to Suduva-Mantinga‘s 22. They outrebounded Suduva-Mantinga 41-26 including 30 on the defensive glass. It was a good game for American point guard Fred Cleveland Jr (175, college: NCCU) who led his team to a victory with 28 points and 6 assists. Forward Tomas Lekunas (200-1993) contributed with a double-double by scoring 15 points, 17 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners. Guard Vytautas Sulskis (201-1988, college: YSU, agency: BIG) replied with 23 points and 6 rebounds and Tautvydas Baltrusaitis (204-2003) added 18 points in the effort for Suduva-Mantinga. Five Silute and four Suduva-Mantinga players scored in double figures. Silute maintains tenth position with 11-13 record. Suduva-Mantinga at the other side keeps the eighth place with 11 games lost. Silute will play against higher ranked Omega-Tauras (#7) in Kaunas in the next round and it may be quite challenging game. Suduva-Mantinga will play at home against Neptunas-Akv. and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Silute: F.Cleveland Jr. 28+4reb+6ast, D.Remeikis 15+1reb+3ast, T.Lekunas 15+17reb+5ast, L.Balkunas 14+2reb+3ast, N.Jankunas 11+3reb+1ast, V.Prokopenko 10+6reb
Suduva-Mantinga: V.Sulskis 23+6reb+3ast, T.Baltrusaitis 18+3reb, D.Vilys 16+2reb+3ast, M.Zigmantavicius 10+4reb+4ast, A.Simonis 6+4reb+3ast, Z.Simonis 5+7reb+2ast

gschID: 1217050

Stekas – Kretinga 76-58

Very expected game in Vilnius where 15th ranked Kretinga (7-17) was defeated by eleventh ranked Stekas (10-14) 76-58. Stekas outrebounded Kretinga 39-23 including a 26-15 advantage in defensive rebounds. It was a good game for the former international forward Darius Tarvydas (199-1991) who led his team to a victory with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Point guard Paulius Semaska (184-1993) contributed with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. Point guard Aurimas Urbonas (198-1993) replied with 8 points and 4 assists and center Rytis Zabita (199-1994) added 10 points in the effort for Kretinga. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Stekas maintains eleventh position with 10-14 record. Kretinga lost third consecutive game. They keep the fifteenth place with 17 games lost. Stekas will play against P.Olimpas (#13) in Plunge in the next round. Kretinga will play at home against Jurbarkas where they are definitely not considered as a favorite in this game either.
Top scorers:
Stekas: D.Tarvydas 19+9reb+2ast, L.Pivoriunas 13+2reb+1ast, P.Semaska 10+7reb+4ast, D.Bucas 9+2reb, K.Brusokas 8+7reb, M.Serksnas 5+1reb+1ast
Kretinga: J.Ziubrys 13+1reb, R.Zabita 10+4reb, E.Danys 9+3reb+1ast, A.Urbonas 8+4reb+4ast, K.Sapiega 6+4reb, J.Warren 5+1ast

gschID: 1217051

Vytis – P.Olimpas 84-77

Very predictable result in Sakiai where fifth ranked Vytis (15-8) beat 13th ranked P.Olimpas (9-17) 84-77. Vytis players were unselfish on offense dishing 29 assists comparing to just 15 passes made by P.Olimpas‘ players. It was a good game for Augustinas Mikstas (203-2001, agency: Octagon Europe) who led his team to a victory with a double-double by scoring 21 points, 18 rebounds and 4 assists. Gabrielius Celka (198-2001) contributed with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists for the winners. Five Vytis players scored in double figures. American swingman Jared Small (201-1997, college: CMU) replied with 17 points and 9 rebounds and center Ernestas Narusevicius (207-2001) added 13 points and 8 rebounds in the effort for P.Olimpas. P.Olimpas’ coach Mindaugas Tamusauskas rotated ten players in this game, but that didn’t help. Vytis have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to fourth place. Newly promoted P.Olimpas keeps the thirteenth position with 17 games lost. Vytis will play against league’s second-placed Palanga on the road in the next round and it may be the game of the week. P.Olimpas will play against Stekas (#11) in Vilnius and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Vytis: A.Mikstas 21+18reb+4ast, G.Celka 13+5reb+7ast, J.Rubinas 12+2reb+6ast, D.Kumelis 10+1reb+6ast, K.Leliukas 10+5reb+1ast, R.Jocys 8+1reb+5ast
P.Olimpas: J.Small 17+9reb+1ast, E.Narusevicius 13+8reb, R.Kreismontas 10+3reb, T.Kymantas 8+3reb+3ast, T.Cherry 7+7reb, J.Stropus 6+2reb