RIGA - Lietuvos Rytas easily dispensed with Ehitustooriist to gain its third consecutive and fifth overall victory in the Baltic Basketball League on Feb 5. The Lithuanians showed their superiority from the start as they notched up an eight-point advantage after the first quarter to lead 23-15. Both teams were more defensive in the second period, which ended more evenly at 37-30. However, Lietuvos Rytas ran riot for the rest of the game and soundly drummed its Estonian guests 79-52.
Lietuvos Rytas is now in third place in the BBL, having won five victories in seven games, while Ehitustooriist is in seventh place after two victories and four defeats, one spot ahead of its compatriots TU/Rock.
Despite a slow start Zalgiris won its sixth straight game in the BBL by beating Estonian champions TU/Rock 108-64. Ainars Bagatskis had a game high 24 points, while Dainius Salenga added another 15 to the tally.
Zalgiris was rather ineffective throughout the second period and even let the Estonians take the lead after Heiko Rannula scored from the three-point mark. But Zalgiris' players were able to raise the pressure and scored the next six points, although the visitors fought hard at every turn. Zalgiris started the third quarter with a good run to take the biggest lead in the game and TU/Rock couldn't get back into the game after that.
Despite its convincing advantage Zalgiris continued to attack in the last quarter. After reaching a 95-64 margin, it kept the visitors at bay and then managed to surpass the 105-point mark they have attained on average in the BBL to win 108-64. Ainars Bagatskis made five shots outside the arc in the fourth to set a new BBL record. Zalgiris is clearly going to be the tam to beat in this competition.
Two Lithuanian teams also met on the same day in Klaipeda. The hosts Neptunas prevailed over Sakalai 72-67, with Sheiku Kabba scoring 19 points for the winners, while Renaldas Seibutis got 26 points and added eight rebounds for Sakalai.
Unlike its previous game with TU/Rock (98-100), Sakalai managed to take the lead in the first quarter and finished with a five-point advantage at 21-16. Seibutis scored 12 of his 26 points in the first 10 minutes. But Neptunas' players worked hard to contain Sakalai and the first half finished even at 35-35.
During the next 10 minutes both teams played a similar kind of game and both scored 13 points. The game was still tied after the third period at 48-48, although Neptunas was more successful in blocking shots and defending the baskets. The hosts went on to win the last quarter and the game 72-67 in a well-deserved victory.
Neptunas has won three victories in six games and shares fourth 's sixth spot with Barons/LU and Siauliai, while Sakalai is in ninth place having won just two games out of eight.
