Orelik stars as Lietuvos Rytas hands Banvit its first loss


Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius handed Banvit Bandirma its first loss, 92-80, and joined it in a tie for first place in Group E thanks to a terrific night from Gediminas Orelik. The forward scored a career-high 27 points on 5-of-6 three-point shooting to lead Rytas, which also got a big push down the stretch from Mindaugas Lukauskis, who scored all of his 11 points in the fourth quarter. Rytas seemed in control much of the game. The hosts led 18-10 in the first quarter and went into halftime ahead 49-39. The difference reached 17 in the fourth quarter before Chuck Davis and E.J. Rowland helped Banvit rally to within 5. Arturas Valeika and Lukauskis came to the rescue and gave Rytas a final push to hold on for the win and a 3-1 record. Adas Juskevicius added 14 points for the home team and Billy Baron scored 13. Davis paced Banvit with 20 points, Rowland and Vladimir Dragicevic scored 14 apiece and Sammy Mejia had 11 in defeat.

Orelik started strong with the game’s first two baskets, but Dragicevic soon tied the game at 4-4. The hosts jumped in front with a Juskevicius triple and Antanas Kavaliauskas free throws. Mejia kept Banvit close, but an Orelik triple and Kavaliauskas bucket on the offensive glass made it 18-10. Keith Simmons and Orelink traded threes before Mejia came through with a steal and layup. Vladimir Veremeenko closed the gap to 23-18 through 10 minutes. Safak Edge drew the visitors to within 4 with a three-pointer. Baron scored the next 4 points to make it 29-21. Dragicevic scored twice to draw Banvit within 6. Davis knocked down a triple, but free throws from Orelik and Kavaliauskas left Rytas up 35-28 midway through the second quarter. Davis and Simmons worked away at the deficit and closed to within 40-37. After a Baron three, Valeika scored on the offensive glass, Davis committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Mike Moser, who sank 2 free throws, and Travis Leslie gave the home team a 49-39 halftime lead.

Martynas Gecevicius and Mejia swapped threes to open the second half. Orelik nailed two more threes in the span of one minute to push the hosts in front 60-44. Edge made free throws and Dragicevic scored on the offensive glass as Banvit tried to stay in the game. Davis’s steal and layup drew the visitors to 62-52. Baron put Rytas up 66-54 through three quarters. Can Maxim Mutaf’s follow made it a 9-point game. Rytas quickly regained the momentum. Kyryl Natyazhko dunked and drew a foul, Banvit coach Zoran Lukic was slapped with a technical and Lukauskis reeled off 5 quick points to make it 74-57. Davis refused to allow Banvit to go down without a fight and scored the next 5 points. E.J Rowland knocked down a three to carry the visitors to 77-67. Davis, with free throws and a layup, and Rowland from the line breathed new life into the game at 79-74. Valeika helped Rytas stave off Banvit with 2 foul shots and a steal and assist to Lukauskis for a slam and a 9-point advantage. Lukauskis added a basket-plus-foul and Juskevicius a three as Rytas took control of the final minutes to record the victory.