Rytas Vilnius youth team has already departed for Spain, where from January 29–31 they will participate in a prestigious international basketball tournament – the Avance Global Cup. The event will take place in Malaga, at the top-level “The Embassy Training Facility” sports complex, which regularly hosts NBA stars and national teams.
The Avance Global Cup is the only tournament of its kind in the world, bringing together 10 elite teams from as many as five continents: North America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. This event continues the success of the “AVANCE at L’ATTITUDE Basketball Classic,” which previously attracted more than 100 NCAA coaches and 28 NBA scouts and club executives. It is not only a basketball tournament but also a global platform where sports, business, media, and culture meet, providing young talents with extraordinary visibility on the international stage.
In this elite event, the honor of Rytas will be defended by: Kornelijus Snitka, Gantas Križanauskas, Nojus Šatas, Gabrielius Buivydas, Ignas Urbonas, Benas Biržinis, Gabrielius Anskinas, Simas Raščius, Arminas Vilkas, Gabrielius Bubnys, Erikas Sirgedas, and Adomas Pocius. The team will be led by head coach Gintaras Kadžiulis, assistant Aistis Pilauskas, strength and conditioning coach Liutauras Kasparas, and physiotherapist Agnė Ginevičiūtė.
Tournament format and schedule
The tournament takes place in an intense format: all teams compete in one group, and after two games played, they are ranked from 1st to 10th place. On the final day, final battles for the final positions take place (1st place plays against 2nd for the cup, 3rd against 4th for bronze, etc.), so every victory and every point is critically important.
Rytas schedule (in CET time):
January 29, 15:30: against Orangeville Academy (Canada).
January 30, 18:00: against IMG Academy (USA).
January 31: Final battles for the final positions.
You can follow the progress of the tournament, find results, and watch live broadcasts on the official website www.avanceglobalcup.com.