By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
The Final Four of the Basketball Champions League, which will take place from May 7th to 9th in Badalona, is slowly being completed.
We already know two participants, while the other two will be determined on Wednesday after the deciding games in the series AEK – Joventut and Tenerife – Galatasaray.
While one of the known teams in the Final Four was expected, being the two-time consecutive champion Unicaja. BC Rytas, on the other hand, has made quite a little miracle and ended up in the race for the trophy that one team will lift on May 9th in Badalona.
BC Rytas’ Cinderella Story
For the first time, this Lithuanian team will play in the final tournament of the BCL, and Giedrius Zibenas’ team worked hard to achieve this task.
In the first phase of the competition, BC Rytas finished first in Group A with a record of 4-2, leaving behind Heidelberg, Promitheas, and Legia. It was dramatic almost until the very end, and it turned out that the Lithuanians secured a crucial victory in the fifth round when they defeated Legia away (79-77), despite trailing by six points in the last few minutes of the game. With that victory, they confirmed the top spot in the group and a direct placement in the Top 16 phase, where it was equally interesting.
Again, BC Rytas finished at the top of their Group I with a record of 4-2, but this time it was even more challenging to advance further. Rytas, Galatasaray, and Le Mans ended with the same record of 4-2, and the Lithuanians were first due to the best point difference. Also, in the last round, they defeated Galatasaray away after a drama (90-81), and this triumph secured their advancement further. Had they lost in Istanbul, the competition would have ended for them in this phase.
Finally, the Quarterfinals brought them clashes against Nymburk, another positive surprise this season. Rytas managed to defend their home ground and win the first game (77-70), and six days later, they won in the Czech Republic after a thriller, with two free throws by Ignas Sargiunas six seconds before the end of the game (70-69).
Harding, Smith, and the Lithuanian core
BC Rytas achieved great success by reaching this far, and most credit probably goes to Jerrick Harding, the team’s point guard, who is having another outstanding season in Europe. Harding made a name for himself in Nymburk, then in Spain, and has once again proven himself at a serious level.
With nearly 19 points on average, he is the team’s top scorer, having scored numerous crucial points, and during the season, he caught the attention of Poland, which naturalized him. Speedy Smith also plays a significant role, a now-experienced guard who joined from Merkezefendi during the season, bringing maturity and experience to the team’s play.
However, the key probably lies in the Lithuanian core of the team, something BC Rytas has been known for years. Ignas Sargiunas plays a serious role, has become a regular member of Lithuania’s national team, and Gytis Masiulis is also excellent, having been the MVP of the second round of the BCL Quarterfinals. With the help of Arturas Gudaitis and Simonas Lukosius, who are getting more and more opportunities, the Lithuanians have reached the very end.
Can they win the title? We’ll see at the beginning of May. BC Rytas’ rival will be Tenerife or Galatasaray, and whoever comes along will have a serious task against Giedrius Zibenas’ team.
Read the latest News
Read the full article here
