Lietuvos Rytas roared for a 74-80 victory at Benetton Basket on Tuesday to clinch a spot in the Eurocup Quarterfinals. Rytas finished the Last 16 with a 4-2 record, which placed it second in Group L. The Lithuanian powerhouse will square off against BC Donetsk of Ukraine in next month’s quarterfinals. Benetton dominated early with a 15-5 start, but Rytas rallied back to within 1 after 10 minutes and kept it close the rest of the way. Ronnie Seibutis and Jonas Valanciunas were the heroes in the fourth quarter as Rytas outlasted the hosts in the close game and held on for the big win. Seibutis finished with 20 points and Valanciunas added 17 before fouling out. Mindaugas Katelynas also scored 15 and Tyrese Rice 12 for the winners. Jeff Viggiano scored all of his 17 points in the first half for Benetton. Sani Becirovic and Marcus Goree netted 12 apiece and Vlad Moldoveanu and Massimo Bulleri 10 each for Benetton, which bowed out of the Eurocup with a 3-3 record in the Last 16.

The hosts jumped ahead early as Ben Ortner found Goree for a slam and Gal Mekel’s penetration for a layup. Valanciunas got Rytas going with a basket-plus-foul, but 5 points from Viggiano and another Mekel layup made it 11-3. Viggiano soon extended the Benetton lead to double figures, 15-5. Rice and Valanciunas carried the visitors back within 5, but Becirovic kept the hosts in control at 21-12. However an unsportsmanlike foul by Gino Cuccarolo on Steponas Babrauskas paved the way for a Rytas comeback. Babrauskas made 3 free throws, Katelynas added 2 more and after a Seibutis three-pointer, Rice closed the quarter at 23-22. A Katelynas slam early in the second quarter gave Rytas its first lead, 23-24. Bulleri responded with a basket-plus-foul as the teams started trading baskets. The second quarter saw a total of six ties and seven lead changes until a Rica basket at the buzzer made it 42-43 at halftime.

Seibutis lifted Rytas to 42-48 early in the third quarter only to see Becirovic author the game’s next 6 points to tie the score. Rytas moved out in front 50-53, but then Ortner and Moldoveanu lifted Benetton in front. After Valanciunas and Moldoveanu traded scores, Bulleri ended the third quarter with a three-pointer that made it 59-57. Moldoveanu opened the fourth with a three. Then Valanciunas scored on the offensive glass and added another bucket before Rice made it 62-63. Moldoveanu hit back with a three-pointer and after Katelynas tied the score, Goree put the hosts back on top 67-65. After Seibutis put Rytas ahead from the line, Jobey Thomas gave Benetton a 70-69 edge. But Seibutis got to the line for 2 more and Aleksandar Rasic got involved with his first basket. Goree made it 72-74 with two minutes remaining. But after a Valanciunas dunk and a missed three by Goree, the pressure was on. Babrauskas put the visitors up 6 from the line. Bulleri countered with 2 free throws, but Rice also scored from the line as time ran out on Benetton and Rytas celebrated a spot in the quarterfinals.