Lietuvos Rytas downs Partizan in Group E opener

In a showdown seen in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague in recent years, Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius registered its first win in Group E by thrashing Partizan NIS Belgrade 92-65 in the Lithuanian capital on Wednesday. Two-time Eurocup champion Mindaugas Lukauskis and Travis Leslie paced the winners with 18 points. Leslie added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Antanas Kavaliauskas added 14 points while Mike Moser and Gediminas Orelik each had 13 for L. Rytas. Nikola Milutinov and Djordje Gagic each had 12 points for Partizan. L. Rytas did not trail in this game, getting a 30-21 margin after 10 minutes and using an outstanding team effort to extend it to 47-29 at halftime. Edo Muric and Gagic tried to get Partizan back in the game but L. Rytas managed to keep a double-digit margin throughout the second half, finishing the game with a 10-0 run.

Partizan had a strong start and a three-pointer by Vanja Marinkovic tied it at 5-5. Orelik and Antnas Kavaliauskas combined for all points in a 7-0 run that gave L. Rytas the lead for good, 12-5. Partizan found a go-to guy in Milenko Tepic and a three-pointer by Boris Dallo allowed the guests to get as close as 17-15. It didn't last long, as an unstoppable Moser got help from Lukauskis to boost the hosts' lead to double digits, 30-19. A layup by Gagic brought Partizan within 30-21 after 10 minutes. Lukauskis dunked off a steal and free throws by Orelik kept L. Rytas way out of trouble, 36-23. Tepic kept pacing the guests with free throws but an inspired Orelik and a three-pointer by Leslie broke the game open, 43-27. A dunk by Kavaliauskas and another basket by Leslie soon made it a 20-point game, 47-27. Free throws by Luka Bogdanovic fixed the halftime score at 47-29. Kavaliauskas dunked twice and added a layup in a 10-0 run that boosted L. Rytas's lead to 57-31. Partizan kept fighting, however, as Tepic sank a jumper while Edo Muric followed a layup with a triple for a 59-40 deficit. Muric kept pacing Partizan and a dunk by Gagic made it a 13-point game, 61-48. Lukauskis hit back-to-back triples and Moser added another one to restore a 70-54 L. Rytas lead after 30 minutes. Kavaliauskas kept finding easy points in the paint and an outstanding Lukauskis sealed the outcome, 81-60, midway through the fourth quarter. Partizna kept trying but all L. Rytas fans had plenty of time to celebrate the win.