Rytas Vilnius returns to the Citadele King Mindaugas Cup (Citadele KMT) Final Four after a one-year break.
Playing at home, the Vilnius team secured a second victory over Šiauliai with a 99:94 win (19:22, 33:22, 23:26, 24:24).
In the first leg, Rytas had won 97:82.
The Citadele KMT Final Four will take place in Šiauliai on February 21–22, and tickets are available at Bilietai.lt.
In the Citadele KMT Final Four, Rytas will face the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between Lietkabelis and Juventus.
Šiauliai opened the game with seven unanswered points, while Rytas scored their first only after two and a half minutes. The score was quickly leveled (7:7), and the teams stayed close for several minutes. After the first quarter, Šiauliai led 22:19, thanks to a Selim Fofana three-pointer at the buzzer.
Simonas Lukošius pushed Rytas forward, and three-point shooting prevented Šiauliai from regaining the initiative – 34:34. Still, the hosts finished the quarter stronger: Artūras Gudaitis, Jordan Walker, and Ignas Sargiūnas sparked a run that allowed Rytas to feel more comfortable at 52:44.
The lead reached double digits (60:48), but Rytas’ three-pointers did not break the visitors. Cassius Stanley and Cedric Henderson cut the deficit (62:71), Dovydas Romančenko also hit a shot, and Fofana’s basket brought Šiauliai within just five points at 70:75.
One quarter remained, and Henderson reduced the gap even further (76:79), while Fofana allowed Šiauliai to breathe down their opponents’ necks – 90:91. After a long break, Dayvion McKnight restored parity (92:92), but baskets by Jacob Wiley and Jordan Walker proved crucial for Rytas – 96:92. The hosts did not let the victory slip away.
Jerrick Harding did not leave the bench for Rytas. Nikas Stuknys played two and a half minutes.
Rytas: Ignas Sargiūnas 18, Kenneth Smith 17 (4/4 3PT, 7 ast), Simonas Lukošius 15 (4/6 3PT), Jacob Wiley, Artūras Gudaitis (7 reb), Jordan Walker, and Gytis Masiulis – 10 each.
Šiauliai: Cedric Henderson 26 (3/8 3PT), Selim Fofana 21 (3/4 3PT), Dayvion McKnight 14 (9 ast), Oskaras Pleikys 9, Stefan Simanic 8.
Source: LKL.lt