Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius vs. Asvel Basket

2008-09Regular SeasonRound 1

Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius 95

Asvel Basket 74

November 24, 2008 CET: 18:00

Local time: 19:00 SIEMENS ARENA

Lietuvos Rytas started the 2008-09 Eurocup season in style by downing Asvel Basket 95-74 in front of 9,750 fans at Siemens Arena at the Opening Game in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Monday night. L. Rytas confirmed its status as the heavy favorite in Group E despite being without Matt Nielsen, who sat out in the game due to a possible move to another Eurocup club. Meanwhile, Asvel will look for its first win against Azovmash Mariupol at home next week. Mindaugas Lukauskis led the winners with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals. Milko Bjelica and Chuck Eidson each added 16 points and Branko Milisavljevic had 10 points and dished 7 assists for L. Rytas. J.R. Reynolds led Asvel with 17 points. Ali Traore added 16, Amara Sy had 12 and Ben Dewar 10 for the guests. L. Rytas overcame a slow start as Bjelica and Eidson led the hosts to a 24-13 advantage after 10 minutes. Asvel managed to get within 27-21 midway through the second quarter, but an outstanding Lukauskis dominated at both ends to give L. Rytas a 52-36 halftime margin. L. Rytas stayed focused after the break and sealed the outcome long before the final buzzer.

Traore had the honor of scoring the first basket of the 2008-09 Eurocup season before Eric Campbell gave Asvel Basket a 0-4 lead. Marijonas Petravicius sank free throws while Lukauskis struck from downtown for a 5-4 L. Rytas edge. Traore took over with a smooth layup but Bjelica came up with 7 points in a 9-0 L. Rytas run that gave the hosts a 14-6 margin. Sy stepped up with a pair of baskets while a three-point play by Reynolds brought Asvel back to life at 16-13. Martynas Gecevicius hit a triple and Eidson added 5 unanswered points to restore a 24-13 L. Rytas lead after 10 minutes. Laurent Foirest and Traore tried to change things early in the second quarter and free throws by Reynolds made it a 6-point game. L. Rytas found a go-to guy in Lukauskis, who followed free throws with consecutive triples as Asvel called timeout at 39-27. Even after Reynolds made Asvel's first three-pointer, Lukauskis stayed on fire. Eidson provided a highlight with an unbelievable reverse layup that Lukauskis followed with a breakaway dunk. A layup by Bjelica and a free throw by Donatas Zavackas fixed the halftime score at 52-36.

Traore dunked it after the break, but L. Rytas stayed focused and kept attacking the basket. Bjelica followed free throws with a layup and soon a triple by Eidson made it a 19-point game. Reynolds answered from downtown and Campbell threw down a slam, but the hosts did not panic. Lukauskis took over with a huge dunk-and-foul in traffic and Milisavljevic scored to make it 64-46. Dewar stepped up with 5 quick points and Amara Sy swished a jumper, but Eidson and Petravicius kept the hosts way ahead, 70-56, after 30 minutes. Lukauskis and Zavackas struck from downtown right at the start of the fourth quarter and even when Traore stayed hot, he didn't find much help around. Meanwhile, free throws by Zavackas and Michailas Anisimovas practically sealed the outcome, 81-59, with six minutes to go. Everything was said and done as Lietuvos Rytas confirmed its status as one of the teams to beat in the 2008-09 Eurocup season.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Eurocupbasketball.com

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Referees: SPIRIDONOS, LEONIDAS; MARICIC,SASA; KALPAKAS, APOSTOLOS

Attendance: 7500

By Quarter	1	2	3	4
Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius	24	28	18	25
Asvel Basket	13	23	20	18

End of Quarter	1	2	3	4
Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius	24	52	70	95
Asvel Basket	13	36	56	74

Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius

							Rebounds						Blocks		Fouls
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG	3FG	FT	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
5	BABRAUSKAS, STEPONAS	6:17						1	1	1							2
8	LUKAUSKIS, MINDAUGAS	30:06	23	3/8	4/8	5/6	4	2	6	2	6	4		2	4	4	21
9	PREKEVICIUS, MARIUS	11:12	2	1/1	0/1					1		1				1	2
11	BJELICA, MILKO	25:54	16	5/5	1/3	3/6	3	4	7		1	4			3	3	15
12	ANISIMOV, MICHAILIS	18:23	7	2/4		3/4	1	6	7			1			3	3	10
13	EIDSON, CHUCK	27:59	16	4/7	1/2	5/5		4	4	4	1	2			4	5	20
14	ZAVACKAS, DONATAS	12:21	9	1/1	1/1	4/5		3	3						4	2	9
15	PETRAVICIUS, MARIUS	22:51	9	3/5		3/4	3	2	5			2		2	3	2	6
22	SINICA, JUSTAS	1:01
31	GECEVICIUS, MARTYNAS	17:17	3		1/5			1	1						1		-1
33	MILISAVLJEVIC, BRANKO	26:39	10	1/3	2/4	2/2		1	1	7		1			2	2	13
	Team						2	1	3								3
	Totals	200:00	95	20/34	10/24	25/32	13	25	38	15	8	15	0	4	24	22	100
				58.8%	41.7%	78.1%

Head coach: SIREIKA, ANTANAS

Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating

Asvel Basket

							Rebounds						Blocks		Fouls
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG	3FG	FT	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
5	SY, AMARA	29:55	12	4/6	1/3	1/3	1	3	4	2	1	3			4	5	11
6	REYNOLDS, JR	26:00	17	3/4	2/7	5/7						3			2	6	10
7	FOIREST, LAURENT	23:24	8	2/4	0/2	4/4						2	1		1	2	4
8	TROUTMAN, CHEVON	22:08	1		0/1	1/2	1	2	3	1	3	1			4	2	3
9	JEANNEAU, AYMERIC	16:05	2	1/3				3	3			2			1
10	DEWAR, BEN	26:11	10	1/2	2/6	2/2	1	3	4	3	1	4	2		3	2	10
12	TRAORE, ALI	29:16	16	6/9		4/7	2	3	5	1		1	1		3	5	18
13	CAMPBELL, ERIC	26:00	8	3/4	0/1	2/2	1	2	3	1	3	1			4	2	10
15	JOSS-RAUZE, KEVIN	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
21	FOFANA, BANGALY	1:01
	Team							2	2								2
	Totals	200:00	74	20/32	5/20	19/27	6	18	24	8	8	17	4	0	22	24	68
				62.5%	25%	70.4%

Head coach: COLLET, VINCENT

Head Coaches

SIREIKA, ANTANAS

Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius

"I am happy with the result. It's really good that my players took the game seriously and played really hard. We need to improve some things, but it's a job that I should do. It was opening game and I am happy that my players understood that it's a big honor to open the Eurocup competition well. Of course, we had to change our game plan in a very short time when we found out that Matt Nielsen would not play, but Bjelica and Zavackas stepped up for him."

COLLET, VINCENT

Asvel Basket

"Lietuvos Rytas started strong from the very beginning and we let them feel the rhythm of the game. Mindaugas Lukauskis played very well. After the first quarter, we were behind at 24-13 and it was the worst thing that could happen when you play against such a team as Lietuvos Rytas. We also played bad in the end of the second quarter and when the deficit reached 16 points, it was very hard to take over control of the game. Lietuvos Rytas defended very well against our shooters. We couldn't get through the paint and we missed from outside. We couldn't create open shots. Their defense forced us to play individually. They played more aggressive and they earned that victory."

Players

LUKAUSKIS, MINDAUGAS

Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius

"We had a good game. We hit some shots and fought from the very heart. Our coach emphasized that we have to work hard for rebounds, because Asvel is very athletic and aggressive under the boards. I think we managed to control the boards pretty well. I had a good game too, but I think the whole team played well. My teammates played good and they created a lot of opportunities for me. We played good on defense and it was one of the most important factors for our victory. I am only little bit disappointed that I turned the ball over way too much, but I am happy with final result."

REYNOLDS, JR

Asvel Basket

"Lietuvos Rytas had a very good game. They penetrated a lot and created a lot of shots. They hit a lot of three-pointers and that resulted in such a big final margin. Ali Traore did a good job inside, but they worked hard on him and tried to double-team him, so he had a very tough game. Lietuvos Rytas is a very tough team, they play good on defense and hit threes. However, when we play against Lietuvos Rytas at home it will be different game. We will improve our game and we will be ready."

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