Lietuvos Rytas 151
Surprise! With five weeks to play, Lithuanian league reduces playoff tournament
Only in Lithuania? In what is surely perceived of by fans of Lithuanian teams such as Pieno žvaigždės, KK Baltai, Kėdainiai and Juventus as (an unwelcome slap in the face) a controversial decision, LKL officials have decided today (!) to reduce the league’s playoff tournament from eight to six teams. Yesterday, league commissioner Mindaugas Balčiūnas […]
In Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas vs. Santa Claus
Only in Lithuania would an NBA first-round draft pick take on the spirit of Christmas himself on the basketball court – and get more fan support. Jonas Valanciunas recently appeared in Vilnius alongside a slightly more infrequent visitor to the Lithuanian city, i.e. Santa Claus. Valanciunas and Claus appeared as part of the festivities closing […]
Eurocup highlights: Le Mans Sarthe at Lietuvos Rytas
Courtesy BC.Rytas.lt and Balltime.net, below run the video highlights of last night’s Eurocup match between Lietuvos Rytas and Le Mans Sarthe. That is all.
Linas Kleiza: Actually, I will be playing in Lithuania during NBA lockout
What gives? Days after Lithuania-based Basket News reported that the former Olympiacos/current locked-out Toronto Raptor wouldn’t be playing for Lietuvos Rytas any time soon, Linas Kleiza – or at least reportage regarding Linas Kleiza – has made a 180º turn in viewpoint in the past week vis-à-vis returning to Europe. This morning, Lithuania Basketball has […]
Not exactly “no basketball anymore”: Notes on 34 pan-European games
“No basketball anymore”? Are you serious? The next two days will see some 34 games played out in the top three European basketball competitions: Euroleague, EuroCup and FIBA Eurochallenge. Below, BallinEurope presents some links, highlight clips and like on some of the competing teams starring Igor Rakocevic, Tiago Splitter, D.J. Strawberry and that Williams guy, […]
FIBA denies EuroBasket doping rumor; Macedonian media trash-talks Lithuanian counterparts
Though Team FYR Macedonia eliminated hosts Lithuania from the 2011 EuroBasket tournament in mid-September, a certain amount of talk-trashing about the match continues in the blogosphere. Yesterday, FIBA was forced to do a bizarre bit of damage control after Lithuanian media – specifically, who else but powerhouse club sponsor Lietuvos Rytas? – reported that two […]
Sunday bullets: Real Madrid analyzed; Szczerbiak, Boumtje-Boumtje remembered; retro Nike ads return
Lazy Sunday? Great: BallinEurope has just the thing to occupy your time! Below run some quality articles and gawk-worthy YouTubes from the week that was in European basketball and NBA lockout land for your perusal. The bullet-point format is in effect and the show stars Danny Green, Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, Walter Szczerbiak, Spike Lee and Samuel […]
Eurocup Draw completed, groups announced
The EuroCup draw for groupings went down at 1pm CET today; below the break, BallinEurope runs the results of said draw. Information in parentheses indicates last year’s finish in domestic league play. So how’s your team’s group looking…?
Euroleague Qualifying Round: Galatasaray, Spirou Basket fill final two spots
Well, at least BallinEurope got one of ‘em right… In Vilnius, it wasn’t so pretty or high-scoring, but Galatasaray used a couple of scoring runs and outlasted Lietuvos Rytas to become the third TBL team in the 2011-12 Euroleague season in its first-ever bid in the big league … by the way, does this make […]
Fearless Predictions™: Lietuvos Rytas v. Galatasaray, Spirou Basket v. CEZ Nymburk
Just enough time to get in a couple of Fearless Predictions™ before the final two teams to participate in Euroleague 2011-12 are determined, BallinEurope thinks … So let’s get to it! Lietuvos Rytas vs. Galatasaray Café Crown Galatasaray looked impressive in dispatching Asvel Villeurbanne (O, Tony Parker, où êtes-vous?) and putting up 93 points, the […]
Euroleague Qualifying Round bullets: First round
With Qualifying Round victories achieved by Cibona Zagreb, Lietuvos Rytas, Alba Berlin and Belgacom Spirou – and BallinEurope congratulates each potential Euroleague team for surpassing this first step – four other games go off tonight. For your amusement and edification, then, BallinEurope presents a collection of highlight clips, quotes, previews and notes for of games […]
Jonas Valanciunas plays first two games for Lietuvos Rytas (yes, highlight clips included)
For all those interested – ahem, Toronto Raptors fans – no. 5 overall 2011 NBA draft pick Jonas Valančiūnas donned his #17 jersey for Lietuvos Rytas twice this week in a pair of exhibition games against Belgian side and fellow Euroleague qualifying round contenders Charleroi Spirou. In the first day of the back-to-back games (and […]