The Lithuanian Basketball League (Betsafe-LKL) battle for the bronze series took an unfortunate turn for Wolves Twinsbet after losing Game 3 at home against 7bet-Lietkabelis, 84:91 (21:24, 25:21, 18:15, 23:27). In this series race to three wins, the troops of Nenad Čanak are now ahead 2:1.
The fourth and potentially series-clinching match will happen on June 11 (Tuesday) in Panevėžys.
The visitors from Panevėžys began the game with a sense of urgency and led 7-1 after Gediminas Orelik’s made three-pointer. Although Tre’Shawn Thurman managed to push Wolves Twinsbet ahead, 7bet-Lietkabelis responded accordingly – 13-6. Eventually, Kristupas Žemaitis tied the score at 15-all, but by the end of the first quarter, the home team surrendered a 21:24 lead.
The Vilnius-based club soon wrestled back the lead (27:26), and the efforts of Arnas Beručka, Eigirdas Žukauskas, and Regimantas Miniotas allowed the Wolves to grow their advantage 40:33. Nenad Čanak called for a timeout but his team’s deficit only continued to balloon – 33:42. However, the Panevėžys squad chipped away at the score and clawed right back into the game to end the second quarter just down by one point 45:46.
In the third quarter, Djodje Gagic tipped the score in favour of the guests (47:46), while Deividas Sirvydis and G. Orelik poured it on for 7bet-Lietkabelis to make it 52:46. The hosts fought back but by the end of the third quarter, they were down by two points, 61:63.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, R. Miniotas scored a basket to equalise the score (63:63), and back and forth both teams went. Džiugas Slavinskas made multiple clutch baskets to propel 7bet-Lietkabelis ahead (75:70), with G. Maldūnas continuing the scoring outburst to pad the Panevėžys lead to double digits – 84:74.
With one-third of the last quarter to play, time became an ally of Panevėžys with the score now at 88:79. In the final minute, the hosts could not save themselves although they did manage to come closer after Tre’Shawn Thurman’s two free throws – 81:88.
Jeffery Taylor and Christian Mekowulu were unavailable for Vilnius, while Nikola Popovic did not play for Panevėžys.
Wolves Twinsbet: Regimantas Miniotas and Tre’Shawn Thurman (9 rebounds) – 16 each, Rasheed Sulaimon 13, Eigirdas Žukauskas 12, Vaidas Kariniauskas and Artūrs Žagars 7 each, Kristupas Žemaitis 6, Arnas Beručka 5, Vitalijus Kozys 2.
7bet-Lietkabelis: Gediminas Orelik 20, Deividas Sirvydis 18, Džorže Gagic 14 (7 rebounds).
(Photo: Saulius Čirba)
