The people of Žalgiris are far from the goal: we are not out of breath, we know what we have gathered here.

Kaunas failed to turn the Euroleague “double” week at home into a double win: in the second match, Milan Olimpia’s basketball players were better, winning 69:64.

The guests led the entire game, but the events were not lacking.

The teams of three halves traded spurs, pushing him back, pulling him closer again, until they finally got into a close fight in the deciding quarter.

Olympia was a little less beaten.

“We knew how important the game was, so it’s a shame. But we also knew how strong this opponent was. Nothing, there are still games left, we will try to do it and get on the playoff train,” said Lukas Lekavičius.

In the second half of the match, the defender, who started his jet engine, scored 11 points and 3 assists and was one of the main drivers that unleashed the hosts’ attack.

But overall, both teams stayed away from their own averages.

“I try to play aggressively every time. I always have that goal, that’s my job. If the opponents trade covers or have a tall player that can be attacked.

The defense of the Milanese today was nothing special: covers were exchanged, as they always do. Only this time maybe they were more aggressive, interrupting our combinations. But nothing new. We defended ourselves very solidly, I think the problems were being attacked. Of course we are missing Artūras Milaknis’ 3s “, – L. Lekavičius missed his traumatized teammate.

Marius Grigonis, who scored 17 points and was once again the most productive of his team, lamented that “Žalgiris” repeatedly lost in attack in situations that did not really require sniper handling from A. Milaknis.

“The defense really wasn’t bad, the opponents threw a lot of heavy shots. But good players hit like that, so they must be forced to take even harder shots.

And we didn’t hit each other from under the basket, we didn’t open somewhere, there was a lot of everything. There are more lessons to be learned from this game than anything good, “said the defender.

And when asked if this week’s team play improvement inspires not to give up the race for the top eight at the spot, Grigonis shook his head.

“I don’t think we’ve exhaled. I don’t know if we still need inspiration. We know the situation, we know what we have gathered here, how many people support us.

We lost an important game. But you need to look further and not bend your nose. As long as there are games left, we will try to pass the time ”, promised the leader of Žalgiris.

The hosts played Friday without the injured A. Milaknis and Patricio Garino, the Milan guests missed the injured Malcolm Delaney and former Žalgiris Zach LeDay, and Andrea Cinciarini was left unregistered.

The Ettore Messina winners won the first round match in Italy last November 98:92.

In September, the teams’ paths had crossed in the preseason tournament in Kaunas, then “Olympia” achieved an easy 88:70 victory.

Throughout history, teams have met 17 times in official competitions, Kaunas has won 9 duels.

Next week, Žalgiris will travel to Turkey and fight with Anadolu Efes from Istanbul, and the Milanese will visit the CSKA fortress in Moscow (Russia).