By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Zalgiris captured the Betsafe LKL title with a 76-69 victory versus Rytas in a packed Zalgirio Arena.
The first home win of a best-of-five series broke a 2-2 tie and decided the champion in Lithuania, with the Kaunas outfit earning the top spot for the 25th time in team history. Combined with lifting the Citadele KMT trophy in February shaped a double for Andrea Trinchieri’s side in the 2024-25 season.
After falling into a 10-point hole during the third period, Dovydas Giedraitis reduced the deficit to five points with a long buzzer-beater to end the quarter. Countering a rough showing from beyond the arc for both teams, the long-range trend resurfaced for Zalgiris in crunch time, with Ignas Brazdeikis and Alen Smailagic combining for three clutch triples to put the Kaunas outfit in a commanding position.
Sylvain Francisco paired a team-high 15 points with seven assists, four rebounds, and one steal en route to being named Most Valuable Player of the Finals. Playing through a left knee injury in deciding Game 5, Brazdeikis ended up with 14 points. Captain Edgaras Ulanovas had 13 points. Smailagic added 12 points.
For the previous champions, falling shy of an eighth league championship, Azuolas Tubelis and Parker Jackson-Cartwright shared a game-high 16 points.
Lukas Lekavicius and Savion Flagg remained on the injury list of their respective teams, as expected.
LKL Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best of three)
Zalgiris – Neptunas 2-0 (88-75, 98-70)
Wolves Twinsbet – CBet 0-2 (102-103, 98-102)
Rytas – Siauliai-Casino Admiral 2-0 (127-81, 110-84)
7bet-Lietkabelis – Uniclub Bet-Juventus 2-0 (83-77, 93-90)
Semifinals (best of five)
Zalgiris – CBet 3-0 (73-61, 98-74, 86-78)
Rytas – 7bet-Lietkabelis 3-2 (86-82, 73-76, 87-86, 76-87, 94-70)
Third-place (best of five)
7bet-Lietkabelis – CBet 3-1 (83-90, 104-85, 92-78, 81-73)
Finals (best of five)
Zalgiris – Rytas 3-2 (89-97, 83-79, 80-86, 84-83, 76-69)
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net