Zalgiris Kaunas saw its two‑game winning streak halted in the EuroLeague, falling 87-91 in a tense battle against Valencia Basket at Roig Arena. The loss drops the Kaunas side to 17-13, while Valencia improves its record to 20-10 and maintains second place in the standings.
The evening began uphill for Zalgiris, as Valencia’s efficient offense created a double‑digit gap by halftime, 39-50. But after the break, the Lithuanian champions responded with trademark defensive grit, trimming the deficit to just two points, 56-58, midway through the third quarter.
Valencia briefly restored a four‑point lead earlier in the fourth, but Zalgiris refused to fold. Trailing by 12 with time slipping away, the visitors ignited their final charge: back‑to‑back three‑pointers from Dustin Sleva and Sylvain Francisco revived the contest by drawing level at 87-87.
Zalgiris even had a chance to take the lead in the dying moments. Down 87-89 after a tough baseline jumper from Brancou Badio, the ball found Francisco once more for a potential game‑winner. This time, however, his three‑point attempt sailed off target, and Valencia secured the rebound. Forced to foul, Zalgiris watched Jean Montero seal the result from the line.
Despite the loss, several Zalgiris players delivered standout performances. Moses Wright powered the team with 20 points and 9 rebounds, narrowly missing a double‑double. Dustin Sleva added 14 points, including the crucial late three that sparked the comeback, while Ignas Brazdeikis stayed perfect from deep, going 3‑for‑3 on his way to 13 points.
Omari Moore led Valencia with 16 points in 21 minutes, Nate Reuvers followed him with 12 points on a perfect shooting night, while Badio added 11 and Jaime Pradilla 10 for the winners.
