Zalgiris Kaunas and Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius did not have much work to do to win their Lithuania League (LKL) games on Thursday.
Euroleague participant Zalgiris took an easy 84-59 victory against Sakalai Vilnius. Zalgiris’ second win in two league games came against a team, which has lost all 30 head-to-head games in the last decade.
Ex-Toronto Raptors forward Sonny Weems played on higher lever than any other player on the court as he led Zalgiris with 19 points in 29 minutes. He scored 4 points including an alley-oop when Zalgiris outscored Sakalai 12-0 in the second quarter and took the lead 50-33. Sakalai did not manage to bounce back.
Weems made 8-of-12 FGs, had 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 5 turnovers. Another ex-NBA player Ty Lawson of Denver Nuggets did not score in 6 minutes on the court, but had 1 steal and 1 turnover.
Lithuanian national team members Mantas Kalnietis and Robertas Javtokas, as well as youngster Mindaugas Kuzminskas, had 11 points each.
FIBA U19 World Champion Deividas Pukis led Sakalai with 18 points (6-of-11 FGs).
Lietuvos Rytas, who lost out on a spot in Euroleague to Galatasaray Istanbul and will participate in EuroCup this season, smashed Naglis 71-51 in Palanga. It was the first Lietuvos Rytas league game this season.
The team from Vilnius won despite resting two starting five players. Tyrese Rice and Jonas Valanciunas missed the clash with Naglis. Rice got injured in the Euroleague qualification game last week while Valanciunas, who led Lithuania U19 team in World Championship and represented Lithuania Men’s Basketball Team in EuroBasket last month, is enjoying his week-off.
Despite lacking two important player, Lietuvos Rytas dominated in the court, outscoring Naglis 14-0 in the second quarter’s run and taking an easy win.
Former Memphis Grizzlies player Lawrence Roberts had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Renaldas Seibutis added 12 points while Brad Newley and Vilmantas Dilys had 10 points each.
Other games on the schedule for both of the Lithuanian basketball giants aren't likely to provide more intrigue, as Lietuvos Rytas will face Sakalai on Friday in a derby of Vilnius, while Zalgiris will travel to Kazakhstan on Sunday to play against Astana in their second game of the VTB United League campaign.
