Zalgiris Kaunas started the pre-season with a win. The green-and-whites defeated Uniclub Casino - Juventus Utena 89-57 (29-12, 28-14, 13-20, 19-11) on Wednesday.
Deividas Sirvydis opened the game with a long-range shot from the corner, Laurynas Birutis scored twice after assists from Alen Smailagic, who later connected from long range, 10-2. Birutis made the dunk, Sylvain Francisco sank free throws, Bryant Dunston finished the 2+1, and Ignas Brazdeikis hit a three-pointer from the corner, 20-7. Brady Manek made two three-pointers after some great ball movement, and Dunston scored in between, 29-12.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Smailagic and Mitchell converted offensive rebounds into points to make it 33-12. Dovydas Giedraitis and Arnas Butkevicius scored their first points and Sirvydis increased the lead to 25 points (39-14). Manek hit his third three-pointer, followed by long shots by Smailagic and Brazdeikis, 49-24. Smailagic made his free throws, Francisco sank a long three-pointer and Brazdeikis made another one from his own half on the buzzer, 57-26.
Zalgiris had to wait for the first points in the third period before Sirvydis finally stole the ball and dunked it home. Giedraitis sank free throws, Sirvydis scored after a pass from Dunston, and Lukas Lekavicius hit a three-pointer, 66-34. Then Utena scored 9 unanswered points, while Zalgiris’ drought was broken by Elanovas and Smailagic, 70-46.
Mitchell opened the fourth quarter, Sirvydis scored from long range, Francisco and Birutis made a free throw each, 77-50. Manek scored another three-pointer, Lekavicius hit a long-range jumper, and the game was closed by points from Birutis and Mitchell, 89-57.
The trio of Manek, Sirvydis and Smailagic were the leading scorers for Zalgiris with 12 points. Birutis added 11 points.
