In a closely contested match, Crvena Zvezda lost to Zalgiris 85-84 at the Cyprus tournament, concluding the event with two defeats.
Dusko Ivanovic’s team played without key players such as Milos Teodosic and Shabazz Napier, who did not travel with the team.
They were also missing Nemanja Bjelica, Dejan Davidovac, and Branko Lazic, who didn’t suit up for this match. Additionally, Stefan Lazarevic and Ognjen Kuzmic did not enter the game.
What an ending! π
— BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) September 23, 2023
After wasting 15-point lead, Zalgiris comes back and finishes tour in Cyprus with a win! βοΈ pic.twitter.com/C3oYHfoobM
On the other side, Ignas Brazdeikis was absent from the Zalgiris lineup as he is reportedly close to signing with Olympiacos.
Crvena Zvezda had a strong first quarter, even establishing a double-digit lead. However, Zalgiris responded with improved performance in the following quarters and managed to build a 15-point lead during the third quarter. Nevertheless, Crvena Zvezda, led by Nemanja Nedovic, staged a remarkable comeback in the final 10 minutes, taking the lead briefly.
In the tense final moments, it was Lukas Lekavicius who took control and secured the victory for his team. Crvena Zvezda had one last chance in the closing seconds, but Yago dos Santos missed a three-pointer.
Rokas Giedraitis was the top scorer for Crvena Zvezda with 18 points, followed by Mike Tobey with 16 points and Nemanja NedoviΔ with 13. On the opposing side, Edgaras Ulanovas led Zalgiris with 16 points.