RYTAS VILNIUS

Xavier Castaneda a signé la performance la plus efficace de Nanterre face à Lietuvos Rytas : 15 points, 9 passes et 0 ballon perdu en 23 minutes, pour un contrôle de jeu presque parfait. Le meneur des Nanterriens n'a pas eu besoin de forcer son jeu dans une rencontre où tout a basculé très tôt. Malgré un 5/16 au tir, ses passes ont circulé sans accroc — zéro perte de balle, zéro faute — tandis que Nanterre écrasait les Lituaniens 93-65 en Ligue des champions. À domicile, la supériorité a été écrasante dès l'entame. Castaneda incarne ce qu'on demande à un meneur dans une démonstration : faire circuler le ballon, ne pas forcer, laisser les autres scorer. C'est du travail de fond qui n'apparaît pas toujours au bilan, mais qui structure une victoire de cette ampleur.

Gytis Radzevicius picked up 21 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes as Lietuvos Rytas held off Sabah BC 82–73 in Group A play. The forward shot 7 of 11 from the field and 5 of 6 at the line, adding 3 assists while keeping his turnover count to two across half an hour of work. The nine-point margin flattered neither side — Sabah competed throughout but could not find the offensive rhythm needed to trouble the hosts down the stretch. Radzevicius's physical presence in the paint and willingness to operate on the glass gave Lietuvos Rytas a functional edge when execution elsewhere faltered. His 64 per cent field-goal accuracy on volume meant the ball moved and chances stayed available. A workmanlike performance rather than a statement: reliable when it mattered most.

Michael Devoe's 15.9 points and 3.8 assists per game have anchored Lietuvos Rytas through the 2024-'25 campaign, but Sabah BC will counter with Gerry Blakes, who posted 17.3 PPG and 3.7 APG during the 2020-'21 season—a reminder of the scoring punch this Sabah side can deploy. The TIB Efficiency gap is narrow: Devoe sits at 47.9, Blakes at 56.5. Both men operate as primary scorers and facilitators for their teams. How Devoe's ball-handling and decision-making match up against Sabah's defensive intensity will likely decide stretches of play. Lietuvos Rytas and Sabah BC tip off in the Basketball Champions League. Watch to see which creator and scorer wins the leverage battle.