Zalgiris takes victory after a late surge 0
Zalgiris Kaunas finished a two game trip to Tallinn as they started it, with a victory. The club from Kaunas managed to comeback from a dead end, erasing a 9 point deficit in two and a half minutes to take a 82:81 victory in the Baltic Basketball League (BBL) against Kalev/Cramo.
Marcus Brown led Zalgiris with 21 points, Travis Watson added 18, while Mantas Kalnietis had 11 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Dainius Salenga scored 10 and Arturas Milaknis netted 6 points.
Charron Fisher had a game-high 27 points and 9 rebounds, Josh Akognon scored 19, as Kenyetta Johnson collected 10 points.
Zalgiris went into the lead in the fourth quarter after Siim-Sander Vene nailed a three pointer, sending the score to 70:67. Josh Akognon answered with a triple of his own, Charron Fisher hit both shots from the charity line to give Kalev a 72:70 advantage.
Sarunas Vasiliauskas committed a turnover and Marcus Brown was given an unsportsmanlike foul, stopping the fast break. The Estonians made both free throws and later went on to score four more from the stripe to cap a 11:0 run, which sent the hosts to 78:70 advantage.
With two and a half minutes remaining Kalev still had a solid 81:72 advantage and was closing to a sensational victory. However, Zalgiris was not to give up – Dainius Salenga scored from downtown, Travis Watson hit two of four from the free throw line and with 55 seconds on the clock Marcus Brown hit an unimaginably important three pointer to get the visitors within one – 80:81.
After a failed possession by Kalev, Tadas Klimavicius’ dunk, that finished up the decisive 10:0 run, saved Zalgiris from a shocking defeat and possibly extended Darius Maskoliunas’ stint with the Lithuanian superpower.
Zalgiris won the first meeting between the teams as well on Sunday, taking an 82:58 victory in the VTB United League.
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