Zalgiris Kaunas overturned an early deficit to beat Virtus Bologna 91-74 on the road Wednesday, ending the Italian side’s unbeaten home run and securing back-to-back EuroLeague victories for the first time this season.
Jonas Valanciunas recorded his first double-double in a Zalgiris jersey, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds as the visitors took control after halftime.
Virtus led 22-14 after the first quarter, but Zalgiris responded with a 23-point second period to go into the break ahead 37-35. The visitors then pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Virtus 28-18 to establish a 65-53 advantage. Zalgiris added another 26 points in the fourth, stretching its lead to as many as 21.
Valanciunas led the way inside, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds, including six offensive boards. The Lithuanian center’s performance marked his first EuroLeague double-double for Zalgiris since returning to Europe following a long NBA career. His first EuroLeague double-double came in 2010 against Fenerbahce, when he was 18 and playing for Zalgiris’ arch rival Rytas Vilnius.
Rebounding was a major factor in the turnaround. Virtus entered the game averaging a competition-leading 40.7 rebounds per contest, but Zalgiris won the battle on the glass 45-35. Azuolas Tubelis collected 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, and added nine points.
Zalgiris also limited Virtus to 74 points and held the hosts to 7-of-26 shooting from three-point range.
Zalgiris also found timely perimeter scoring to build separation. The visitors made 10 of 20 three-point attempts, including three from Dustin Sleva, who finished with 13 points. Sterling Brown added 14 points, while Marius Grigonis contributed 12 as Zalgiris’ bench accounted for 49 points.
Virtus had three players reach double figures, led by Derrick Alston Jr.’s 18 points. Trent Frazier scored 14, while Aliou Diarra added 13. However, the hosts’ 26.9% shooting from beyond the arc and 10 turnovers contributed to their inability to maintain their early advantage.
The victory lifted Zalgiris to 4-4 after eight EuroLeague games, level with Virtus, which also fell to 4-4. Zalgiris hosts Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on Friday, while Virtus welcomes Besiktas Istanbul.
