2024-04-22 07:22:47
Utena’s “Uniclub Casino – Juventus” (15-11) team coached by Oliver Kostići dramatically defeated Šiaulias (7-20) 96:93 (26:31, 25:21, 21:22, 24:19) and left only completely theoretical Ž. The chances of Urbon’s students to reach the playoffs.
The only option that would open the door to the playoffs for Šiauliai requires all three of their own victories (against Kaunas “Žalgiris”, Vilnius “Wolves Twinsbet” and Panevėžys “7bet-Lietkabel”), three failures of Jonava “CBet” (against Vilnius “Ryta”, Pasvalis “Pieno živědės” and “Uniclub Casino – Juventus”) and exactly three victories of Kėdainai’s “Nevėžio-Optibet” in the remaining four matches (against Klaipėda “Neptūnas”, “Žalgiris”, “7bet-Lietkabelis” and “M Basket-Delamode” of Mažeikiai “).
Then all three teams would record a result of 10 wins and 20 losses in the regular season and would look at the results in the meetings between them. Since the balance of wins-losses between all three clubs is the same (3:3), another criterion that would determine the final standings would be the difference in points scored-conceived in the meetings between them. Here, Šiauliai have +12 and are ahead of Kedai residents (+11) and Jonavies (-23), so they would occupy the eighth position.
In the meantime, the team from Ute is in fourth place for the four remaining matches. True, they still have a difficult schedule ahead of them – matches against “7bet-Lietkabel”, “Žalgiris” and “Ryta”.
Sunday’s confrontation was productive and extremely persistent from the first minutes. Halfway through the quarter, the score was still tied (16:16), but then the guests scored 7 points without an answer (23:16). In the points race after the first quarter, Šiauliai led 31:26. Throughout the second half, the home team attacked the opponents, but they kept ahead. To the dressing room Ž. Urbon’s army left with a minimal advantage – 52:51.
The scene on the floor did not change after the break – the Ute team briefly took the lead (58:54), but the guests regained some initiative and met the crucial ten-minute period with a fragile margin – 74:72.
With a minute and a half left, Scoochie Smith intercepted the ball, provoked Tomaš Pavelka’s fifth foul and put his team ahead (92:91). Soon Šarūnas Beniušis won the battle for the ball and also realized both penalties (94:91). LJ Thorpe reduced the deficit to a minimum (93:94) after the water break, and on the other side of the court, TJ Starks scored 2 points (96:93) at the time of the attack, leaving 5.7 seconds for the opponents to respond. After another water break, LJ Thorpe’s three-pointer went wide and the Utena basketball players and fans triumphed.
Utena’s team played without Ivan Vraneš, who was recovering from an injury and was suspended. Rookie Zachary Simmons debuted at his position. He scored 4 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in 21 minutes.
Uniclub Casino – Juventus: Evaldas Šaulys 24, Scoochie Smith 20, TJ Starks 17, Ajdin Penava 12, Marius Valinskas 10, Šarūnas Beniušis 7.
“Šiauliai”: Daniel Baslykas 18, LJ Thorpe 17, Paulius Danusevičius 11, Tomaš Pavelka and Bennett Vander Plas 10 each, Shaquille Keith 9, Nojus Mineikis 7.
2024-04-22 07:22:47