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This was the second and the sixth consecutive time of the title won by the Copa Rey Mindaugas “Žalgiris”. Martin Schiller is the first trophy in Lithuania overall, when he assumed command of the dominant Kaunas team in the country.
The 38-year-old Austrian strategist inclined his head in favor, walking to the side of the wing as Žalgiris’s team attacked the Euroleague defenses in the first half.
Panevėžys “Lietkabelis” basketball players who encountered the next-level beast made more mistakes during the first 10 minutes (9) than points (8). Thomas Walkup played to MVP’s final pace, and the green-white quickly built up a double-digit lead and controlled the course of the match.
It’s true that Frenchman Joffrey Lauvergne was voted the most useful basketball player in the last four, with an impressive performance in the semifinals with 28 points and 32 utility points.
It was after he and Nigel Hayes made two powerful bets in a row that Žalgiris’ lead had increased to 20 points.
Kyle Vinales kept the “Lietkabel” alive, reducing the Panevėžys team deficit to a single digit gap with individual efforts. But that was it: Lietkabelis, who was suffocated in the clutches of Žalgiris’ defense, fell 69:76.
Photo by Rokas Lukoševičius / 15min / Kaunas „Žalgiris“ – Panevėžys „Lietkabelis“
In the empty arena “Cido”, the people of Žalgiris celebrated with some restraint, compared to last year’s triumph in the arena “Švyturys”, when Šarūnas Jasikevičius bathed in Klaipėda under a shower of water directed by Nigel Hayes.
“This title means a lot to me, but it’s strange to win without fans. We won the title, we shook hands and everything. There were no emotions on the sides, but they were on the inside, ”Schiller said after the victory. – I want to say that I am very happy to have won this title. This club has won many trophies, we were favorites and now, but succeeding was not easy. We allowed Lietkabel to score 41 points in three quarters. It was the key to victory. Defensive effort and concentration. I am very happy about that. In the end we had the advantage, the rivals have fast men and we couldn’t keep the ball against ourselves. They did a great job reducing buildup. I have to congratulate Thomas Walkup, who has done a good job maintaining the leadership and winning. “
– How does it feel to win the first title?
– This is my second title in my career, I won the first last year in the G League Summer League. But this is the first title in Europe. I am very happy about that. Throughout our careers, we don’t have as many chances to win trophies.
– It seemed that the team started the game differently from the semifinals, with much more energy. What determined him, how did he motivate the team before the final?
– We have shown a great effort in defense. The men focused on Lietkabelis’s attack and the players. The defense allowed the attack to break free. This is usually the case. I was glad that the players mastered what we were preparing and talking about in the morning. It is not easy when you play two games in two days. Rock is very important in this tournament because we didn’t have Luke, which generally gives us a unique element of the game.
VIDEO: Match summary Citadele KMT: “Žalgiris” – “Lietkabelis” [2021-02-14]
– Joffrey Lauvergne became the MVP of the tournament, what do you think of that?
– Yesterday gave many benefits when we were stuck accumulating points. We delivered the ball to the penalty area and he accumulated points. Jojo’s unique personality fits perfectly with our group. Everyone really likes it in the dressing room. He is a sincere worker who is not ashamed to admit mistakes or ask questions. As a result, he is a great teammate.
– Mr Lauvergne has recently extended his contract. How did this process go through your eyes?
– The process was simple. Jojo and the agent approached us to tell us that they wanted to stay in Kaunas, so we have to make a deal. Paulius Motiejūnas and his team quickly prepared documents and organized matters. I like that Jojo feels great in Kaunas and would like to stay here. He wants to work together and form a team. I want to mention the headquarters of the coaches, because in our country each coach is responsible for certain groups of players. I sincerely believe that Arne Woltmann helped highlight Jojo’s strengths and contributed to making him feel comfortable here.
Photo by Rokas Lukoševičius / 15min / Kaunas „Žalgiris“ – Panevėžys „Lietkabelis“
– Paulius Jankūnas gave you the title immediately. What support have you received from the players in this group since day one in Kaunas?
– It was a very special moment. Paul has won the cup many times, but I have not, so it is special to me. I can repeat that there are not many opportunities to win titles during my career, I wanted to take this opportunity. It’s a nice Yankee gesture.
He and the other players have supported me from day one. For me it was important to find common ground with the core of the team, to understand each other. Jankis, Marius, Milas, Thomas Walkup, who is practically Lithuanian. It was very important to find a common language with them from my first day in Kaunas.
– What has this tournament shown you about the team, approaching the most important battles of the Euroleague and the LKL?
– I have to go back and watch the game. These matches show quality. I would like to mention Karolis Lukošiūnas, who did an excellent job this weekend. He wasn’t in the best games of our rotation this season. But it was a situation that Steve came back after an injury and Luke got sick with COVID-19, so we decided to extend the rotation. Carol played very well in LKL and looks great in practice. I am very happy for him and for me. He played very well yesterday and today. I was not afraid. Congratulations to him for a good performance.
– “Žalgiris” is famous for the tradition of celebrating victories. What do you expect in the locker room?
– I heard it, I saw it a little after the game. This is special. I don’t expect anything specific, but I do. I want to go home to my family. Surprisingly, they weren’t here. My two daughters and my wife watched the game and were emotionally supportive. I want to go back and quietly celebrate this title with my family.
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