The prospects of the Rytas Vilnius youth system have etched a resounding victory into the club’s history books. At the prestigious “MADCUP Basket Madrid Elite” youth basketball tournament held in Spain, the team led by Gintaras Kadžiulis put on a masterclass to capture the champions’ trophy.
The tournament path for the Vilnius side began with a dominant victory over Balidea Obradoiro (89-56). Although they had to concede to Valencia Basket (77-86) after a dramatic and high-tension battle in the second group match, the Rytas youth refused to back down. In the decisive group stage game for a spot in the next round, the Vilnius squad showed true character, convincingly defeating Real Madrid with a score of 82-57.
The capital’s team cleared the semi-final hurdle with confidence, taking down Zentro Basket Madrid 90-74. This set the stage for a grand final where Rytas sought a principled rematch against the only team to defeat them in the tournament—Valencia Basket.
In the final showdown, the Vilnius players dominated from the opening minutes. Displaying a potent offense and aggressive defense, Rytas left no hope for their opponents, ultimately lifting the winners’ trophy after a commanding 91-67 victory.
Top scorers for the winners: Raigardas Ciunys – 18, Rapolas Klišauskas – 17, Elvinas Bajus – 14, Daniil Efe Kesen – 11, Ignas Martinkus – 8, Jonas Biržinis and Filip Boleslaw Wilk – 7 each, Fallou Ntiaie – 5, Rytis Milius and Joris Matusevičius – 2 each.
The Championship Roster: Daniil Efe Kesen, Elvinas Bajus, Fallou Ntiaie, Filip Boleslaw Wilk, Ignas Martinkus, Jonas Biržinis, Joris Matusevičius, Kostas Korsakovas, Mykolas Bilis, Raigardas Ciunys, Rapolas Klišauskas, Rytis Milius. Head Coach: Gintaras Kadžiulis.