Zalgiris loses at home, LKL semis continue 38
In the third game of the Betsafe-LKL semi-finals, Zalgiris Kaunas lost 66-67 to 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevezys at the Zalgirio Arena. Zalgiris is still leading the best-of-five series 2-1.
Laurynas Birutis scored 4 points early in the game and Rolands Smits hit two three-pointers from different corners to lead 10-4. Despite a layup by Kevarrius Hayes, the opponents responded with a 10-2 spurt and got in front 12-14. Isaiah Taylor broke through under the basket, Edgaras Ulanovas scored with a foul, and Tyler Cavanaugh finished the first quarter with 5 points, 22-21.
Hayes scored 4 points and Dovydas Giedraitis connected from long range after a nice ball movement, 29-23. After a 7bet-Lietkabelis timeout, Zalgiris didn’t score for almost 4 minutes, 29-31. Smits, Ulanovas and Birutis converted their fouls with free throws (35-33), but only Taylor scored from the field, so Zalgiris trailed 37-43 after the first half.
After the break, the team was led by captain Ulanovas, who scored 7 points in a row and stopped Gediminas Orelikas on defense. On the offensive end, Cavanaugh joined him with a three-pointer and Taylor finished a fast break, 49-47. Giedraitis scored from mid-range, Arnas Butkevicius sank free throws and Cavanaugh added 4 more points, 57-51.
In the fourth quarter, Zalgiris made only 2 points in the first 4 minutes, while Panevezys scored 10 points, 59-61. Birutis tied the score (61-61), but after that Kaunass offense continued to stagnate, 61-66. Finally, the silence was broken by an acrobatic lay-up by Taylor and a three-pointer by Tomas Dimsa with 80 seconds to play, 66-66. Zeljko Sakic made 1 free throw for the visitors, but Zalgiris did not score again in the remaining minute and lost the game 66-67.
Ulanovas and Cavanaugh were the leading scorers for Zalgiris with 12 points. Taylor added 10 for the hosts.
Facebook comments