Zalgiris Kaunas ended the training camp in Turkey with a victory. Tomas Masiulis’s team defeated Anadolu Efes Istanbul 90-69 (23-12, 14-24, 30-17, 23-16).
Ignas Brazdeikis opened the game with an accurate shot stepping on the three-point line, Nigel Williams-Goss made two free throws, and Dustin Sleva scored both from long range and under the basket, 9-0. Sylvain Francisco came off the bench and immediately scored 6 points (15-3), then added 2 free throws a couple of minutes later, 17-7. Moses Wright opened his tally, and Francisco ended the first quarter with a shot at the buzzer, 23-12.
Between two two-pointers by Williams-Goss at the start of the second quarter, Wright made a dunk, 29-15. After a timeout for Anadolu Efes, PJ Dozier reduced the deficit (29-21), but Azuolas Tubelis made his first points in Zalgiris jersey, followed by a free throw from Edgaras Ulanovas and two from Wright, 34-24. At the end of the quarter, Ulanovas and Francisco stood at the free throw line, but the opponents’ sniper Cole Swider reduced Zalgiris’ lead to a minimum with two three-pointers, 37-36.
Deividas Sirvydis and Laurynas Birutis generated 9 points at the start of the third quarter, 46-36. PJ Dozier and Swider each made a three-pointer, but Sirvydis and Francisco responded with the same, 52-42. Wright scored, Mantas Rubstavicius connected on a three-pointer from the corner and made an assist to Tubelis, 59-50. Tubelis scored another 2 points, impressively blocked an opponent’s shot, and sent Rubstavicius on a fast break, 63-53. Sleva’s two-pointer and Ulanovas’s free throws increased the lead, 67-53.
Sleva made a three-pointer and assisted Arnas Butkevicius, 72-55. Brazdeikis scored 4 points, Tubelis added 2, and Sirvydis made an accurate long-range shot, 82-65. Rubstavicius scored 4 points, Dovydas Buika also got on board, and Birutis closed the game with a powerful dunk, 90-69.
Francisco led the balanced scoring with 14 points. Sirvydis had 11 points, while Sleva and Wright scored 10 each.
