Roland Schmidt | Photo: Kaunas “Zalgiris”
Latvian basketball player Rolands Šmits scored 16 points in the last round of the ULEB Euroleague main tournament on Friday, securing a place in the playoffs for the Kaunas “Žalgiris” team. “Zalgiris” defeated “Bayern” of Munich with 83:80 (19:18, 15:20, 17:9, 32:33)
Almost the entire game, the Lithuanian club was in a small lead, and one minute and 13 seconds before the end of the regular time, it achieved a 79:70 advantage with one accurate free throw out of two. However, 28 seconds before the end of the match, the score was 79:78 after eight points scored by Andreas Obst. 13 seconds before the end of the game time, Lukas Lekavics made it 81-78 with free throws, and four seconds later Cory Walden responded with the same one at the opposite basket. Edgars Ulanovs scored two more free throws a second later, as “Žalgiris” entered the knockout stages.
Schmidt spent 20 minutes and 36 seconds on the field, during which he made two of three two-point shots, three of four long-range shots and three of four free throws. He also grabbed four rebounds, blocked one shot, caused two fouls, and finished the game early with five turnovers, an efficiency rating of 15 and a game-best +/- of +16.
Schmidt became the second most productive participant of the game, 20 points were scored by Lakavič, 12 by Ulanov and ten by Tomas Dimš. Volden scored 14 points for the home team, Obst 12 and Vladimir Lučič scored 10.
Taking the seventh place, “Žalgiris” will face “Barcelona” led by Šarūn Jasikēvičs in the quarter-finals of the Euroleague.
Also this season, 18 teams play in the Euroleague, which play a two-round tournament, with the best eight entering the knockout tournament. The Euroleague final four tournament will take place from May 19 to 21 at the home of “Žalgiris” in Kaunas.
In the previous season, Istanbul’s “Anadolu Efes” was crowned champion, which defeated “Real Madrid” 58:57 in the final match in Belgrade, winning the tournament for the second season in a row.
