Zalgiris Kaunas (13-1) ended the week with a victory in the Lithuanian Basketball League. Tomas Masiulis’s team defeated Siauliai (7-7) 75-71 (17-20, 15-14, 19-17, 24-20) on the road.
Dustin Sleva opened the scoring, and then Mantas Rubstavicius added 7 points in the row, 9-7. Sleva scored after a pass from Ignas Brazdeikis, Deividas Sirvydis made a two-pointer, and Sylvain Francisco and Laurynas Birutis were perfect on free throws, 17-20.
At the start of the second quarter, Edgaras Ulanovas and Birutis exchanged assists to each other, 21-20. The Siauliai team took advantage of a series of turnovers by Zalgiris and scored 6 points in a row, to which Brazdeikis responded with 2 long-range shots, 26-26. Francisco impressively blocked his opponent’s shot and slipped under the basket on the other side of the court, Birutis made a put-back dunk, and Sirvydis scored 2 free throws, 32-34.
Moses Wright and Sleva scored, Dovydas Giedraitis and Rubstavicius added a free throw each, 38-38. Sleva scored from mid-range, Sirvydis tallied 6 points, and Zalgiris pulled slightly ahead, 46-41. At the end of the third quarter, Birutis, Ulanovas, and Sirvydis scored only from the free throw line, 51-51.
Wright scored 5 points, Giedraitis broke through twice under the basket, 60-61. Sleva eliminated the six-point deficit with an accurate three-pointer, Sirvydis hit a long two-pointer, Birutis dunked after Sleva’s lob pass, 67-63. Brazdeikis and Sleva made free throws, Giedraitis was accurate from mid-range, and Francisco closed the game with a layup, 75-71.
Sleva and Sirvydis led with 13 points each in a low-scoring game. Birutis had 10 points and 6 rebounds.
