Rytas Vilnius launched their FIBA Champions League campaign on a winning note. In their tournament opener on home hardwood, the capital’s club overcame Sabah Baku 82:73 following a fiercely contested, momentum-swinging battle.
The hosts set the tone early: intense defensive pressure disrupted the opposition as Kay Bruhnke converted at the line, Cassius Winston knocked down a midrange jumper, and Artūras Gudaitis finished in transition off a Winston feed to establish an early 6:0 lead. However, the visitors quickly stabilized their presence inside. Nick Perkins’ interior power and a Frankie Fidler three-pointer pushed Sabah in front (6:11). Matas Jogėla answered from deep, but the visitors capitalized on second-chance opportunities through Evan Bruinsma and Tajuan Agee, leaving Vilnius trailing 16:20 after the first quarter.
As the second frame unfolded, the Vilnius offense stalled against a physical defensive look from the visitors. Following a Perkins slam and another Fidler triple, Sabah stretched their lead to a dangerous margin (20:27). The home team found their spark when Michael Devoe threw up an alley-oop for a thunderous Gudaitis dunk, followed immediately by an Ignas Urbonas three-pointer (23:27). When the Baku outfit tried to pull away once more, Gytis Radzevičius took charge—the forward buried back-to-back triples, drew contact, and leveled the score from the charity stripe (35:35). High-pressure defense delivered crucial momentum right before the break: Gytis Masiulis intercepted a pass for a breakaway slam, and Radzevičius turned another steal into a transition finish to send Rytas Vilnius into the locker room up 39:38.
Coming out of the break, Vilnius went on another surge: Radzevičius scored four quick points, Gudaitis secured an offensive board for a three-point play, and the lead grew to eight (47:39). Sabah answered with an 11:1 run of their own, as baskets from Mindaugas Sušinskas, Fidler, and Perkins swung the lead back to Baku (53:57).
Augustas Marčiulionis ignited the counter-attack with an explosive 8:0 personal run: the guard attacked the rim for two, drilled a step-back three on the next possession, and beat the shot clock with a spectacular heave from near mid-court, pushing Vilnius back in front at 61:57.
The fourth quarter demanded nerves of steel. Sabah made an early push to edge ahead (63:65) and later maintained a slim 67:69 advantage. Devoe emerged as the decisive factor down the stretch—scoreless up to that point, the American guard attacked the paint to tie the contest, then punctuated a fast break with a dunk off a Ricky Lindo Jr. steal to put Vilnius ahead (72:69).
Radzevičius quickly followed with a driving score and tacked on a free throw after a technical foul on the visitors (75:69). Devoe knocked down a pair from the stripe, Marčiulionis sank his signature one-handed floater, and Devoe applied the finishing touch under the basket in the final seconds to cap the 82:73 triumph.
The capital club dominated the glass, winning the rebounding battle 47:37. Gytis Radzevičius earned player of the game honors after posting a commanding double-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and a 30 efficiency points.