After a 3.5-year drought, Panevėžys’ Lietkabelis (7–5) claimed a victory in the capital, defeating Rytas Vilnius (9–3) in the LKL, sponsored by Betsson.
Coached by Nenad Čanak, the visitors secured an 82–71 (20–17, 18–17, 23–20, 23–17) road win, snapping Rytas’ four-game winning streak on Saturday night.
The last time Lietkabelis defeated Rytas in Vilnius in official competition was during the 2022 LKL, sponsored by Betsson, Finals. Since then, the capital club had protected its home court 11 consecutive times against the Panevėžys side. Furthermore, this marked Čanak’s first-ever win at the Active Vilnius Arena, despite having coached Lietkabelis—with a break—since November 2018.
Rytas’ 73 points were their lowest scoring output this season in the LKL, sponsored by Betsson. Lietkabelis’ consistency was further underlined by the fact that they won all four quarters.
The visitors started the game slightly sharper (12–6). Although Rytas briefly took the lead, Lietkabelis closed the opening quarter on a stronger note and led 20–17 after a buzzer-beater by Dovis Bičkauskis.
The second quarter developed into a low-scoring but highly physical battle. Lietkabelis’ lead remained fragile, yet the hosts were unable to swing the momentum in their favor. At halftime, the visitors held a narrow advantage at 38–34.
The overall picture did not change dramatically after the break, but the balance increasingly tilted toward Lietkabelis. Midway through the third quarter, the guests had nearly built a double-digit cushion (53–44). Heading into the final period, Čanak’s men were firmly in control at 61–54.
Lietkabelis never let go of that control. Over the final ten minutes, Fardaws Aimaq dominated the paint, while Michael Flowers provided timely support. After building a double-digit lead, the Panevėžys club left no room for doubt and handed Rytas their second defeat of the season without much drama.
One of the key figures behind the victory was Aimaq. The Canadian finished with 19 points (8/12 two-pointers, 1/3 three-pointers), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 26 efficiency points.
The newcomer was well supported by a Lithuanian duo. Paulius Danusevičius recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds (24 efficiency), while another recent addition, Justas Furmanavičius, added 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 21 efficiency points.
A stellar performance from Rytas’ captain was not enough to prevent defeat. Artūras Gudaitis posted a dominant double-double, scoring 21 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and finishing with 31 efficiency points.
Rytas Vilnius: Artūras Gudaitis 21, Jerrick Harding 14, Jordan Walker 13, Ignas Sargiūnas 12.
Lietkabelis: Fardaws Aimaq 19, Michael Flowers 14, Paulius Danusevičius 14, Justas Furmanavičius 13, Kristian Kullamäe 9, Lazar Mutić 7.