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The Vilnius team even led in this match, but at the end of the match the hosts took a double-digit advantage 69:57 and did not release the victories.
“Congratulations to Žalgiris, a well deserved title, respect for them. We were in today’s match for a long time. But again we were killed by the same little things that haunt us in the most difficult matches.
But it is not a shame to lose these games and series for such a team. The series highlighted our gaps and we will have a lot of material to build a new team, ”said Giedrius Žibėnas, the Rytas strategist, after the end of the season, who took over the team in the winter when Donaldas Kairys was fired. after a series of failures.
– He started the season as an assistant and ended it with a contract as head coach for the next season. How would you rate those years in person? – G. Žibėnas was asked.
– In a word it can be described as growth and daily adaptation to new situations. The whole season gave a lot, especially the first half of the season.
That is the essence of growth, and even after that we have adapted not only to basketball, changing teams, but also to that difficult pandemic season.
It hurt a lot, there were many slopes of all kinds, but we survived them at a crucial stage of the season.
I think the players gave a lot of emotions to the “Rytas” community, to the fans, to the city of Vilnius. After the game, I thanked the players for their big hearts.
– You talked about gaps. What will the club be like next season? And when do you plan to start?
– Like every coach, like every team, we want continuity. All players that are now included have a question mark. Everyone could stay because they are really fighters. We’ll see what we can keep for next season.
I won’t mention the last names, but we lack athleticism and this series has shown it. The quarter-finals and the semi-finals were different, and now we have seen that the opportunities to compete in the Champions League and with “Žalgiris” … You understand the situation better in this case. Let’s say we were shown the direction in which we should go.
The staff will take care of the team, Donatas Zavackas will be joining a lot, the coaching staff will be involved, and we will start doing it tomorrow.
– Are there players who will definitely leave the team?
– Not now. I do not know. At least I did not receive such information.
– What is the situation of Augustas Marčiulionis? Got hurt?
– He is approached by a nineteen-year-old team, he has been contracting his muscles. I asked him, it scared him more. We didn’t want to take risks. But he certainly has the highest compliments. I don’t think we want to keep it.
– Andrew Goudelock waved at the beginning and then it was time for 16 consecutive double-digit games? How important is it for a team to have such a basketball player?
– Immediately after the game, I caught him and thanked him for everything, the season was “wow” for him. After serious injuries and tough seasons, playing the entire season with only minor microtraumas is definitely an achievement. He loved the team, he loved the locker room, and he donated his body to the team.
Nothing will allow me to lie that we are probably the first team he was honestly represented on defense. Everything suited her, as far as I know, there was already a conversation with her.
Having a player like that is a real example of having a player like that next to you … Strong. Glad to work with him.
