Zalgiris defeats Buducnost to stay perfect on the road 13

Zalgiris Kaunas maintained its perfect EuroLeague record on the road with a battling 60-72 victory at Buducnost Podgorica, improving the Lithuanians to 3-3 while Buducnost remains in search of its first win.

On a night which saw both teams struggle offensively, Brandon Davies shone for the victorious team, scoring 20 points and grabbing 5 rebounds. Antanas Kavaliauskas provided 12 points and 5 boards, while Nate Wolters combined 10 points with 6 assists.

Only one Buducnost player scored in double figures, with Alen Omic netting 16 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.

Big men were in the main roles on both ends of the floor early on. Paulius Jankunas had a three-point play and Davies a pair of dunks to open a 7-11 lead. Omic and Earl Clark scored first the 8 points for Buducnost, before a triple from Edwin Jackson cut the deficit to 11-14. Jankunas and another big man, Kavaliauskas, made sure Zalgiris held a 15-18 edge after 10 minutes.

Marius Grigonis hit from downtown early in the second quarter to open it to 17-23. However, Omic and Nemanja Gordic, who hit one from behind the arc, helped the hosts tie things at 27-27 with 3 minutes left in the half, and the teams went into halftime locked at 33-33.

Buducnost took its first lead of the game with a layup by Omic, 38-36, but the visitors replied with a 2-9 run as Wolters scored 5 points, Davies made a steal and dunk and Aaron White threw down an alley-oop. A low-scoring end to the third quarter saw Zalgiris extend its lead through a series of free throws at 48-57.

The margin stayed around ten points for much of the final period as both teams failed to find offensive fluidity. Davies scored twice in quick succession in response to a triple from Coty Clarke, and then netted again after Nikola Ivanovic struck from deep. The home team never got closer than 8 and the game had a fitting finish with another basket from Davies as Zalgiris eased home.