Lituvos Rytas beats Banvit to clinch top spot in Group E

Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius outlasted Banvit Bandirma 66-71 to clinch first place in Group E. Rytas improved to 7-2, while dropping Banvit to 6-3. It was Rytas’s fourth road win and gave it a season sweep over Banvit, which lost for the first time at home. Martynas Gecevicius sank 5 three-pointers to lad Rytas with 18 points, while Adas Juskevicius totaled 13 points and 7 assists and Antanas Kavaliauskas scored 12 for the winners. The game had the look of a blowout with Rytas racing to a 15-29 lead in the second quarter, but Banvit fought back to within 37-38 at halftime and took the lead early in the third quarter. A Rytas run made it 44-55, but Banvit came back again to within 2 with five minutes to go. In the end, Rytas had more energy late and held on for the win. Vladimir Dragicevic and Chuck Davis scored 12 points apiece to lead Banvit and Safak Edge, Tolga Gecim and Sammy Mejia added 10 each. Edge also dished 5 assists in defeat.

A pair of Gecevicius triples gave Rytas a 6-10 start. Juskevicius added a three-pointer and Kavaliauskas scored inside to make it 8-17. Billy Baron gave the visitors a double-digit lead, 10-21. Mejia hit a jumper and split free throws to make it 13-23 after 10 minutes. Arturas Valeika scored twice early in the second quarter as the Rytas lead soared to 15-29. After a Davis basket for the hosts, Mindaugas Lukauskis hit from behind the arc for a 15-point difference. Gecim answered with a three, added a layup and Davis scored to narrow the difference to 24-32. Gecevicius hit back with his third three-pointer, but Gecim converted a basket plus foul and teamed with Davis in an 8-0 run that closed the gap to 32-35. Edge beat the halftime buzzer with a three-pointer to bring the hosts within 37-38 at halftime.

Dragicevic gave Banvit the lead with the first basket of the second half. After Juskevicius and Mejia traded threes, Juskevicius, Gediminas Orelik and Lukauskis teamed on a 0-8 run to put Rytas back in control. Orelik added two more baskets before Kavaliauskas put the visitors up 44-55. Banvit fought back as Vladimir Vremeenko scored 4 points and Berkay Candan knocked down a three in an 11-3 run. Baron knocked down a triple to make it 55-61 at the end of the quarter. Gecim brought Banvit within 2 early in the fourth quarter. Rytas remained ahead, but Edge nailed a three to make it 64-66 midway through the quarter. Kavaliauskas scored inside and Gecevicius sank his fifth three to give the visitors a 7-point cushion with two minutes to go as Rytas held on for the win.