Zalgiris starts the Betsafe-LKL Finals with a loss 45
Zalgiris Kaunas started the Betsafe-LKL Finals series with a defeat. Andrea Trinchieri’s team lost to Rytas Vilnius 88-89 (17-19, 19-24, 20-11, 21-23, 11-12) in overtime at Zalgirio Arena.
Laurynas Birutis started the game with a dunk, Edgaras Ulanovas scored inside and Edmond Sumner added four points, 8-15. Lukas Lekavicius scored five points, Brady Manek hit a driving layup and Tomas Dimsa converted his free throws, 17-19.
Kevarrius Hayes and Lekavicius scored on free throws, and Birutis finished two of his attacks around the basket, 25-24. Three free throws were made by Ulanovas, one by Manek, Hayes dunked it home, Dimsa made a raid under the basket and Demetre Rivers finished the first half with a three-pointer, 36-43.
Right after the break, Rivers made layup with a foul, Lekavicius hit a three-pointer and Birutis scored four points in a row, 46-50. Ulanovas made four free throws, Sumner and Dimsa drove to the basket, and Dovydas Giedraitis put his team ahead again, 56-54.
Giedraitis scored four points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Lekavicius tallied five, Birutis made a shot from under the basket, and Zalgiris pulled away, 67-59. Giedraitis scored four points in a row, Lekavicius hit a tough floater shot, but with just under two minutes to play, the teams were separated by just a point, 73-72. Giedraitis scored on free throws, Lekavicius made a shot from under the basket, Zalgiris defended against the last attack of Rytas and the teams had to play overtime, 77-77.
In the overtime, Birutis opened the scoring, Giedraitis again made no mistake at the free throw line, Arnas Butkevicius added a point, Hayes made a big dunk, Lekavicius hit a mid-range shot, Giedraitis slid under the basket, but in the end Zalgiris had to concede to the visitors, 88-89.
Lekavicius was the leading scorer for Zalgiris with 21 points. Giedraitis added 16, and Birutis had 14 points.
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