Lithuanian LKL 2014/2015 season game 1
The Lithuanian LKL Regular Season got underway tonight with three games through round 1, with two of the games finishing in favour of road teams, with one home victory on the night. Reigning champs Zalgiris Kaunas looked in good touch after a decent pre-season and the team will be seeking its fifth consecutive Lithuanian LKL title, its 19th overall during the campaign. There were also two other games on the opening night as Juventus Utenos slipped to defeat while playing host to Zvaigzdes Pasvalys and Neptunas defeated Dzukija on their own hardwood.
Nevezis Kedainiai vs. Zalgiris, 59-93
Champions Zalgiris Kaunas travelled to Nevesis and crushed the home team to open its Lithuanian LKL account at first attempt this season. The away team had too much from the opening tip off and controlled the early exchanges to open a double digit lead after 10 minutes, the scoreboard reading 12-24. The hosts responded well to the Zalgiris dominance by staging a second quarter fight back, winning the frame 16-14 to cut the score at halftime to 28-38. An explosive third stanza from the Kaunas giants saw them pour in 34 points and stop Nevezis at just 15, enough to lead 43-72 after 30 minutes on the deck. The fourth quarter was a formality as Zalgiris cruised down the straight to victory.
Vytenis Lipkevicius led the winners with 20 points, while Roderick Rodney Camphor paced Nevezis with a game high 22 points.
Juventus vs. Zvaigzdes Pasvalys 78-85
A close game between these two clubs saw Juventus pay the price for a poor first half as the away team held consistent through the game. The teams were hard to separate in the first quarter as they exchanged the lead throughout the frame, but Zvaigzdes took a 23-26 lead at the first buzzer. The away team added to their advantage through the second quarter by outscoring the hosts 19-21 for a 42-47 lead. Juventus stayed in the game but could never snatch back the lead, with Zvaigzdes winning the third stanza 20-22 and holding on for a 16-16 fourth.
Neptunas vs. Dzukija, 82-72
Neptunas Klaipeda collected the only home success of the night by defeating Dzukija by double digits. It was the away team that got off to the better start though, outpacing Neptunas through the opening 10 minutes to lead 23-24. That slender one point advantage was extended through Q2 as the visitors held a 42-46 lead at the long break. The hosts finally found their scoring touch in the third quarter and also improved at the defensive perimeter to win the quarter 16-12 (56-58). Neptunas completed the comeback in the final quarter by streaming in 24 points to make the final score look more comfortable than it actually was.