Zalgiris Kaunas delivered one of its most complete performances of the 2025–26 EuroLeague season on Friday, routing Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 99-67 in Round 21 at Zalgirio Arena.
The home side set the tone immediately, opening the game with a 13-3 run that forced an early timeout and never allowing the visitors to recover. Kaunas used depth, ball movement, and perimeter accuracy to turn the contest into a one-sided affair well before halftime.
Azuolas Tubelis sparked the early surge with a corner three, two free throws, and a backdoor dunk during the opening stretch. His aggression established tempo and spacing, which later allowed others to step into rhythm.
When Tubelis slowed, the rotation carried the load. Maodo Lo provided scoring off the bench, Moses Wright protected the rim with consecutive blocks, and Sylvain Francisco controlled the offense with scoring and playmaking. At halftime, Francisco had 12 points, three rebounds, three assists, and a performance index rating of 16.
Zalgiris entered the break ahead 47-28 after converting seven of its 14 three-point attempts in the first half. The Belgrade club attempted the same number of shots from deep but made only one, a disparity that shaped the game early.
Although shooting efficiency dipped in the second quarter, Kaunas compensated with five offensive rebounds in that period and steady defensive pressure. The hosts closed driving lanes and limited second chances.
The margin ballooned shortly after halftime when Wright finished a two-handed dunk to make it 60-36. From there, the outcome was no longer in doubt, and the final quarter turned into extended rotation minutes and crowd celebration.
The bench was a decisive factor. Zalgiris outscored the Serbian side 55-23 in reserve production, reflecting the balance coach Tomas Masiulis received across the roster.
For Crvena Zvezda, Chima Moneke led all scorers with 18 points and posted a game-high PIR of 26. Donatas Motiejunas added nine points inside, while Nemanja Kalinic and Stefan Miljenovic scored seven apiece during a difficult offensive outing.
Overall, the Belgrade club shot 4-of-26 from three-point range, recorded 19 assists, and committed 16 turnovers. Zalgiris countered with 13-of-26 shooting from deep, 27 assists to match its season high, and only 11 turnovers.
With the victory, Zalgiris improved to 12-9 and remained in ninth place in the EuroLeague standings. Crvena Zvezda dropped to 11-10, sitting tenth after a difficult road performance.
Zalgiris will visit Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv next Thursday, while the Belgrade side travels to face EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on the same night.
