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| Wednesday European Cup Waterproof – Cooked | 19:00 | Panevezys |
Puerto Rican blood runs through the veins of Kyle Vinales, and on the parquet of the basketball court it moves like a salsa rhythm.
The player, who scored a long time in Kaunas last Sunday, scored 24 points and contributed a lot to Lietkabelis’ first victory in history at the Žalgiris Arena.
Already at the start of the season in Lithuania, the energetic defense demonstrates why last year he was mentioned among the fiercest point voters in the VTB United League, finishing fifth on the list of the best.
High numbers on the match protocol scorecard accompany K. Vinales throughout his career, but the basketball player’s only specific goal is not to shoot the basket at all.
“Throughout my career, from playing in school, college or as a professional, I have been on the top list of the most productive players of the season.” 15 minutes K. Vinales said about the possibility of becoming LKL’s most productive player of the season. – Last year I was fifth in the VTB league. That is my style of play. I’m not going to spend a season with the idea that I have to be the most productive. I’ve played like this my entire career. I am fortunate that the coaches in my professional career have given me freedom and confidence. My only specific goal this season is to be in the top five in the effective transfers category. I pay close attention to that. The more points you get, the easier it will be to get effective passes. I just have to play my game. “
K. Vinales, who captured an average of 16 points after the first three rounds of LKL, may become one of the most visible offensive figures this season in Lithuania, and Panevėžys’ team, which returns to the European Cup after two years of rest, he will need a good outside game.
We can compete in the European Cup, we can also fight for the LKL title.
The American, who started the official season with two losses, hopes that the victory against “Žalgiris” will give the people of Panevėžys wings.
“Every victory is important, but beating Žalgiris on the road and in that style, with full control of the second half of the match … This victory will definitely give our team confidence. This showed that we can compete with very tall opponents level. “Žalgiris” is one of the best teams in Europe, and the victory against such a team shows that we can beat everything. We can compete in the European Cup, we can also fight for the LKL title. We really needed these victories to gain confidence in ourselves. ” 15 minutes said a legionary from the United States that he would become the leader of the Lietkabelis.
Eriko Ovcharenko / 15min nuotr./Kyle Vinales and Thomas Walkupas
This is the third season of K. Vinales’ career in Europe, after playing in Estonia with Robert Stalmaher and the stage by the Mediterranean in Cyprus.
Until then, the 28-year-old and 188 cm tall basketball player migrated between the well-known basketball leagues of Puerto Rico and Tunisia after graduating from college.
K. Vinales, who is spending his second month in Lithuania, is happy with his life in Panevėžys, where he can only focus on the orange projectile.
“Everything is fine,” Vinales said. – The weather in Lithuania is good so far. It’s not cold yet, but I’m ready. I think Panevėžys is a great place to play basketball, you can just focus on it, because there is not much activity here. Panevėžys is a quiet town with little action, but there are places where you can eat delicious food. I have no complaints. “
And where can you eat delicious food in Panevėžys? The basketball player of the Panev baloncestožys team does not skimp on any advice, not blocking the names of the cafes located in the city center one after another.
“I like Jack House, Distillery, Gallery XX or Kranto 12. These are the restaurants that I like the most, I often come to eat at these places,” said one of the two Americans who compete in the Panevėžys team this season.
VIDEO: “UrBONUS”: intrigues about “Žalgiris”, “Rytas” and the biggest interest of the season LKL
Lietkabelis started the season with two defeats against the young teams of Prienai CBet and Kėdainiai Nevėžis.
The “Lietkabelis” player burned, as Martynas Purlys, the club’s director said, on the “urBONUS” program, after the first match he went to extra work, he was surprised by the Aukštaitija Palace cleaner with his visit.
“We didn’t feel any pressure before Žalgiris, we were focused. You can’t be soft in a match with” Žalgiris “, because they will just cross you. We showed the right energy, we fought hard and we won,” said Vinales. – Our intensity and energy are the same. What else has changed. We started the first two games thinking we should win. Everyone said we should win. We relaxed, we didn’t show the necessary energy, and CBet and Nevėžis took advantage of it, beat us and fought until the end. time, and then it was too late. “
VIDEO: UrBONUS: M.Purlys – Panevėžys changed, it was Vainauskas and Lietkabelis signpost
Nenad Chanak’s students limited Žalgiris after a long break, allowing them to score just 25 points. In total, Green White scored 61 points, which is the lowest result of the Lithuanian champions on the home front in the last two years.
The break took place in the third quarter, when Panevėžys basketball players started swapping defenders and won the quarter even 29:11. This was the seventh victory for Lietkabelis against Žalgiris in the club’s history.
“We tried to hit the ball for the 40 minutes, to break down the opponents’ barriers. The energy and heart shown paid off. The opponents, a bit tired, lost the 3-pointers they used to make. We started exchanging defenders in the third half, especially in the end. Marinas Maričius had four fouls, but Gabas (Gabrielius Maldūnas) can catch defenders better, he’s more mobile. The coach understood it, he changed the defense system and it was easier for us to play, “said the Lietkabelis defender.
I always feel good when pitches dissect the grid.
Furious K. Vinales flew four long shots during the fateful half and added another colon. In total, the American played 31 minutes, scored 24 points (3/10 doubles, 5/9 trit., 3/4 penalty), bounced 2 balls and took charge of one, made 6 assists, made 4 errors and recorded 18 utility points. .
“I always feel good when pitches dissect the net,” Vinales said with a smile. – In the first two games I couldn’t attack the basket effectively, but the coaches told me not to stop. Thank them for showing confidence. In Kaunas my shots fell, but I made 4 mistakes. It needs to be improved, I’m still trying to get used to the team and the new style of play. We haven’t played basketball in a few months, so the adjustment process is still going on. I want to feel more of the game and less of a mistake. I think we could accumulate more easy points in quick attacks, we would like to go to attack earlier after defense, which depends mainly on me, it is the responsibility of the team player.
The 188-tall player emphasizes working with N.Čanak, who shows great confidence in the main organizer of the team’s attacks.
This is the third season of a 44-year-old Serbian in Panevėžys. In November 2018, Jonas Vainauskas invited him to Lietkabelis, although the Lithuanian himself quickly left the club, but N.Čanakas found a second home in Panevėžys.
There is no doubt that this specialist has become the face of Lietkabelis, earning the trust of the LKL players and drawing them to the capital of Aukštaitija.
“Great coach, players coach,” said K. Vinales. – He played at a similar level to us. He understands us well, he does not yell at us too much, he is relaxed, he tries to convey information by communicating calmly. He has good human qualities, but also good tactics. After two losses, Nenad reprogrammed the plan, adding several new combinations. All the players want him, he’s not crazy and that’s important. “
The international season of “Lietkabelis” will begin on Wednesday night. Cido Arena at 7 pm He will visit the Bologna “Virtus”, which showed fashion in the Euroleague twenty years ago.
The undercard of the European Cup was very important to invite K. Vinales to Panevėžys. At first, the economic expectations of the basketball player were too high for the people of Panevėžys, but over time the price dropped, and the biggest boost was given by the unexpected drop in the invitation to the European Cup, when Vilnius Rytas chose the Champions League.
“I am looking forward to making my debut in the European Cup as it is one of the strongest tournaments in Europe. I love to compete, all the members of our team like to do it. A match with Virtus is coming and there is a state of waiting mood in the locker room. We are excited about the opportunities to play in such a high level tournament, “said one of the Lietkabelis coaches.
In the ranking of the strongest teams in the European Cup compiled by Euro Hoops, Aleksandras Džiordževičius’s army took first place.
Virtus, who triumphed in the FIBA Champions League two years ago, had hoped to play in the Euroleague this season, but last year’s European Cup season ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed plans to Italy at least one more year.
Milos Teodosičius, the most productive player in the team and in the entire tournament, remained in Bologna, but Serbia’s ball assistant suffered an injury over the weekend and will likely watch the first match on television.
There are other famous faces in the team: the Serbian Stefan Markovic, the Americans Kyle Weems or Vince Hunter, the latter was the most productive player of the 2018-2019 season in the Champions League.
“It just came to our attention then. Two years ago, Virtus won the Champions League. Great coach, high-level players and a great team budget is reflected in the line-up. We understand that another level competitor” Žalgiris “awaits us. We have You have to be focused all 40 minutes to play hard. Somehow you need to stop the powerful Virtus attacking machine. I hope we win, “said K. Vinales.
kklietkabelis.lt/Kyle’as Vinalesas
“We’re still trying to feel, we’re trying to play. There are six or seven newcomers on the team, so it all takes time. We try to find mutual chemistry on and off the site. These are great and talented guys, they show a great desire and good energy. I think we will have a good season “, – K. Vinales looked at the current condition of” Lietkabelis “.
Although there is still a lot of work to be done to improve mutual understanding and facilitate the game, the Lietkabelis legionnaire sees great potential for the team.
Although powerful competitors compete in Group C of the European Cup, in addition to Virtus and Lietkabelis, there are also the Lithuanians Krasnodar Lokomotiv, Monaco, Andorra MoraBanc and Antwerp Telenet Giants, but the strong names of the competitors do not diminish the confidence of K. Vinales. .
“I think it’s up to us this season. I think many will surprise us. We will surprise people who don’t know our team and don’t know how good we really are. I think we can make it to the Top 8, and when you’re there, it can happen. anything, “said the unmotivated American.
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