Baskonia leaves no margin for error in Kaunas
Ivanovic’s men fall for the second time this week in the Euroleague with the ‘play-in’ in the air
MADRID, 21 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Baskonia fell (94-76) this Thursday against Zalgiris Kaunas on matchday 31 of the Euroleague despite the attempted comeback in the third quarter, seeing their margin of error reduced to a minimum to be in the access play-in to the ‘playoffs’, with two defeats this week and a physically tired team.
The Lithuanian team had more energy than a Vitorian team that had a bad first half and did not complete its attempt to react. Markus Howard resurfaced but it was not enough, Tadas Sedekerskis suffered his discomfort two days ago against Partizan and Baskonia suffered a tough defeat to complicate their future.
Ivanovic’s men, still waiting for the infirmary, made the visit to Kaunas difficult in the first half. With zero out of eight in three-pointers, also failing a lot in free throws, Baskonia had no response to a Zalgiris that, without being brilliant, managed good gains almost without opposition.
The Basques did not push in defense nor had clear ideas, pending the physical condition of Sedekerskis, who arrived between cottons from Belgrade, and Markus Howard. Two figures that the visiting team measured out and that their own team missed, supported by Costello and, in fits and starts, by Miller-McIntyre.
The Lithuanians, with growing faith in a round week to engage in the fight for play-in, punished less than they could. With good offensive rebounding, Hayes who didn’t make a single mistake in the first half, and the performance of Evans, Ulanovas and Birutis, Zalgiris had the game in their hand (48-32).
All in all, those from Vitoria demonstrated their ability to come out on top by finding the right score, four triples shared by Howard and Marinkovic, in the third quarter, but Zalgiris responded when Baskonia pressed harder (52-46). Butkevicius added unexpected points and Evans increased his numbers to maintain the local income.
For the last quarter Sedekerskis returned and Howard left a couple of quality baskets (75-65), but again he lacked good plays for the Basques. Zalgiris stole balls again, in the visiting desperation that was personalized by Chima Moneke who lost his glasses three times, in three hits without referee punishment.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: ZALGIRIS KAUNAS, 94 – BASKONIA, 76. (48-34, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
ZALGIRIS KAUNAS: Evans (20), Giedraitis (4), Ulanovas (11), Lavrinovicius (-) and Birutis (8) –quintet initial–; Lekavicius (7), Hayes (17), Montvila (-), Sumner (5), Dimsa (5), Butkevicius (10), Manek (7).
BASCONY: Howard (14), Miller-McIntyre (16), Marinkovic (12), Sedekerskis (2) and Kotsar (7) — starting quintet–; Raieste (-), Chiozza (-), Ten (2), Rogkavopoulos (-), Costello (11), Theodore (-), Moneke (12).
–PARTIALS: 25-17, 23-17, 23-23, 23-19.
–REFEREES: Belosevic, Dragojevic and Balak. No eliminated.
–PAVILLION: Zalgirio Arena.