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The central round match will be played on Sunday. In Kaunas, the national champions “Žalgiris” will host the Panevėžys “Lietkabelis” team.
The two teams’ starts were unexpectedly different to the season: if Kaunas started the tournament with two easy wins (89:56 against Šiauliai and 95:62 against Alytus Dzūkija), then Lietkabelis had to absorb two painful blows at the start of the season.
First, Prienai’s CBet fell at home to 84:87, and a few days later there was a loss in Kėdainiai to local Nevėžis (70:76).
However, Lietkabelis basketball player Vytenis Lipkevičius does not dramatize the start of such a season.
“We played badly, we lost the game that everyone thought we had to win. Of course, the start of the season, there is no tragedy, but last year we were more aggressive, more acute, so far the thing is missing.
The first game is lost, tension and pressure arise. We have half a new team, the process is still underway, it takes time. Two setbacks are painful, but one can sit and cry, or work, trying to see what happens next.
The coach is really doing a good job and we have to stop believing, give all our strength and I believe that everything will work out, ”commented V. Lipkevičius when communicating with LKL.lt.
Meanwhile, Kaunas residents entered the rhythm of the official matches with two easy wins, and former Artūras Milaknis of the team assured that such tests help to see what has already been achieved in the training process.
“No matter who you play the games with, they are still much better than training. During the exercise, they get to know each other better and everything becomes a little more predictable, and with the opponents you check what you have done during that time, ”said sniper LKL.lt.
Many were surprised by Lietkabelis’ two defeats, but A. Milaknis was not one of them; according to him, he was influenced by understandable reasons.
“It’s not surprising, the season is long, it’s just the beginning, the preparation may not have been what they wanted, I think everything takes time.
But drawing some conclusions, saying that someone did something wrong or that some players are not suitable is not really necessary, ”said the basketball player.
At that time, “Žalgiris” is still getting used to the game with the team’s new coach, Martin Schiller. Basketball experts note that the game of Kaunas players with Austria has become noticeably faster, which is also distinguished by V. Lipkevičius.
“When Šarūnas Jasikevičius was leading the team, there were more frames, the team attacked where they wanted to attack, expecting a very good launch, and now everything is freer.
On defense, I think Shar found them much more solid. The current coach’s game is based on running fast. Of course, it is also modern basketball, but soon we will see it all ourselves, ”said the Panevėžys captain.
It is worth mentioning that the teams have already been tested: at the control meeting in Palanga in early September, the people from Žalgiris won the match without much difficulty (102: 78).
However, according to V. Lipkevičius, it would not be necessary to use this duel as a litmus test, although certain characteristics of the Kaunas game became evident even then.
“A month has passed since then, some came back after injuries, others played less. “It seems that after the rebound they want to run very fast, I think this principle will not change and a lot will depend on us. If we do everything as we have agreed, they will not have many opportunities to run fast,” said the interlocutor.
For both teams, it will be a dress rehearsal before the start in Europe: next week, Kaunas residents will kick off the Euroleague season with a match against Piraeus Olympiakos, while Lietkabelis will host a strong Bologna Virtus team in the Cup of Europe.
As V. Lipkevičius mentioned, a positive boost is needed for the start of the European campaign.
“I think it is always very important to be in a good mood before the European Cup or other European tournaments, to play good games or against Žalgiris or whatever. After these two games, in fact, we need that positive emotion, a good momentum, we will go, we will fight, we will climb and we will try to do everything we can to get a little bit out of that hole, ”said V. Lipkevičius resolutely.
A. Milaknis also agreed with him, saying that each match can be treated as one more stage of preparation for the Euroleague season.
“There is nothing to hide, we take every match or training session in preparation for the Euroleague. Of course, we are also preparing for Lietkabel, but that additional vision is more concentration for the Euroleague.
It still takes time to get that good game, there are no miracles happening, there is no wizard in basketball who will come and train the ideal twelve players a month who are getting acquainted with the new system for the first time.
We still have a lot of work to do as we act as a single mechanism, ”said the Kaunas basketball player.
In the next game on Sunday, the first victory will be won by the teams of Alytus Šiauliai and Dzūkija.
Two more games will be played on Saturday. Utena Juventus will introduce themselves to their fans for the first time when they accept the Prienai CBet team.
Vilnius Rytas will try to extend the series of victories. Donaldo Kairis’s army, which started with two victories, will welcome Pasvalys basketball players “Pienovaigždės” into their fortress, who opened their victory tally with an impressive last-second shot in Šiauliai.
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