Zalgiris holds off Crvena Zvezda for key win 60
Zalgiris Kaunas (11/15) extended their winning streak in the EuroLeague. Andrea Trinchieri’s team defeated Crvena Zvezda Belgrade (10/16) by 93-91 (23-22, 22-23, 23-20, 25-26) on the road.
It is Zalgiris’s third straight win and its fourth in the last five outings, as the team improved to 11-15 on the season, while Zvezda dropped to a 10-16 record.
Keenan Evans and Laurynas Birutis dominated the early part of the game, with the American scoring from long range and adding 3 assists to the big guy, 9-7. After Rolands Smits points and a three-pointer by Evans, Zalgiris led 14-9. Lukas Lekavicius and Dovydas Giedraitis also scored from long range, Arnas Butkevicius made a lay-up after a steal and Kevarrius Hayes finished the first quarter with a powerful dunk to make it 23-22.
Brady Manek dunked with a foul and Edmond Sumner scored 5 points in a row, 31-28. Evans hit his third three-pointer and Edgaras Ulanovas made his free throws, 36-35. Smits scored underneath and Tomas Dimsa added a long rage shot, 41-37. The second period was finished with Birutis floater after a pass from Sumner, who connected pm two free throws, 45-45.
In the first part of the third period, Zalgiris shared the ball well and found open players at the three-point line, with Giedraitis, Evans, Smits and Ulanovas scoring to make it 59-53. Evans and Birutis scored again, but the opponents responded with a stretch of their own, 63-65. Manek hit a three-pointer and Evans made free throws at the end of the third quarter, 68-65.
Crvena Zvezda started the fourth quarter with 7 consecutive points, but a floater by Birutis and free throws by Evans, Ulanovas and Smits restored the same margin, 77-74. Evans (80-76) and Dimsa (83-80) made long-range shots, while Smits corrected his teammate’s missed shot, 85-81. Ulanovas scored from mid-range, Giedraitis made one free throw, Butkevicius made two, and Evans broke through under the basket with 30 seconds to play, 90-87. Ulanovas made one free throw, Dimsa scored both times, and finally Zalgiris celebrated a 93-91 victory.
Evans finished with 25 points and 6 assists, Smits scored 13 and Birutis added 12 in a winning effort.
Yago Dos Santos had his first career double-double with 21 points and 14 assists. Luka Mitrovic and Nemanja Nedovic netted 15 apiece, while Rokas Giedraitis collected 11 points and 8 rebounds.
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