Intense battle sees Zalgiris lose to Olympiacos in Cyprus 4
After training camp in Larnaka Zalgiris Kaunas moved to Nicosia and lost their first pre-season match in a friendly tournament in Cyprus. Kazys Maksvytis’ team lost 72-75 (15-13, 15-21, 24-21, 18-20) to Olympiacos Piraeus.
Keenan Evans started the game with a drive to the basket, Kevarrius Hayes scored with a foul, but halfway through the first quarter Kaunas team was chasing the opponents 5-8. Edgaras Ulanovas corrected his teammate’s missed shot, Brady Manek made two three-pointers in a row and Naz Mitrou-Long tore the defense apart with a fierce drive under the basket, 15-14.
Laurynas Birutis dunked it home after Tomas Dimsa’s pass, Danielius Lavrinovicius made two free throws, and Mitrou-Long successfully finished the fast break with a layup to make it 21-14. Evans made a three-pointer and added free throws, Ulanovas and Evans scored again on free throws at the very end of the first half, 30-34.
Right after the break, Lukas Lekavicius made a floater, Manek and Mitrou-Long connected from downtown and Birutis scored three points, 42-41. Mitrou-Long made another long-range shot, Dimsa added two free throws, while Rolands Smits, Arnas Butkevicius and Hayes scored from inside, and Mitrou-Long finished the quarter with a coast-to-coast buzzer, 54-55.
At the start of fourth quarter, Dimsa hit two three-pointers, Evans and Hayes scored inside, and Zalgiris was already ahead, 64-63. Butkevicius had a raid under the basket, Ulanovas made three free throws and hit a three-pointer, but Zalgiris players missed some shots at the end of the game and had to concede the 72-75 loss.
Mitrou-Long, Evans and Ulanovas were players in double-digits for Zalgiris scoring 12, 11, and 10 points respectively.
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