Lietuvos Rytas celebrated its Eurocup return with an impressive come-from-behind 65-73 road win at Krka Novo Mesto on Tuesday. Down 6 entering the fourth quarter, Tyrese Rice keyed a 0-14 blitz that put Rytas in charge en route to the win. Rice finished with 19 points and 4 assists in his competiton debut. Mindaugas Katelynas added a very efficient 15 points and Renaldas Seibutis netted 12 for the winners. Jerome Jordan scored 20 and grabbed 8 rebounds and new signing Allan Ray debuted with 14 points for Krka, which finished the game without a three-pointer despite 5 tries.

Rytas jumped ahead early as Lawrence Roberts and Arturas Jomantas connected from downtown on the team’s first two possessions. Marko Djurkovic scored on the offensive glass to cut the gap to 5-6. Four straight points from Smiljan Pavic gave Krka its first lead, 9-8. The score remained tight with the teams trading scores until Jure Balazic’s free throw made it 21-18 at the end of the first quarter. The theme continued into the second quarter when Katelynas twice brought Rytas within 1. Jordan and Zoran Dragic pumped the lead up to 28-22, but Seibutis led Rytas to tie things up and then Katelynas capped a 1-10 spurt with a pretty move to make it 29-32. Krka scored the next 8 points – all on free throws – to go back on top. Predrag Samardziski cut the lead to 2 before Jordan gave the hosts a 39-35 halftime cushion.

Dragic padded the lead to start the second half, but Rtyas refused to quit as Katelynas drilled a triple. Rice and Aleksandar Rasic further cut away at the Krka lead before Seibutis evened things at 45-45. Jordan, Pavic and Dragic all scored to put Novo Mesto back ahead by 6. And Allen kept it that way with a jumper for 59-53 heading into the fourth quarter. Rice took over the Rytas offense in the fourth quarter and scored 7 points on the team’s first three possessions to get within 61-60. Jomantas scored the go-ahead bucket, Seibutis followed and Rice nailed a three. When the dust settled, Rytas had reeled off 14 straight points to take a 61-69 lead. Allan made it a 4-point game Rice free throws paired with 2 Krka turnovers in the final minute allowed the visitors to celebrate their return to the Eurocup with a victory.