Zalgiris finishes pre-season with the win over Latvian champions 0

Zalgiris Kaunas finished the preparation for the new season with a win over Latvian champions. The greens defeated VEF Riga 90-77 (13-24, 22-21, 28-15, 27-17).

The visitors stepped on the gas from the first minutes and led 5-10. Laurynas Birutis scored 4 points, but it was all VEF in the first 10 minutes (13-24).

Zalgiris couldn’t connect from downtown and made only 1 three-pointer from 15 tries in the first half. Tyler Cavanaugh and Edgaras Ulanovas combined for 11 points at the end of the second quarter to cut it to 35-45.

The things changed after the halftime, when Zalgiris turned another gear at both sides of the floor. Ignas Brazdeikis made two triples and gave his team the first lead at 56-54. Lukas Lekavicius also hit from top of the key (63-60).

Cavanaugh and Rolands Smits connected twice from three-point range in the fourth quarter, as Zalgiris ran away 80-70.

Zalgiris: Ulanovas 14, Smits 14, Cavanaugh 12, Hayes 9, Evans 9, Brazdeikis 8, Birutis 6, Lekavicius 5, Dimsa 4, Butkevicius 3, Krivas 3.

VEF: Hamilton 28, Brooks 16,.Zoriks 13.