Home EuroLeague Gintaras Krapikas back at the helm for Zalgiris

Gintaras Krapikas back at the helm for Zalgiris

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Zalgiris have announced the appointment of Gintaras Krapikas as head coach for the 2014-15 season as he begins his second spell for the Kaunas-based side.

The 53-year-old national team assistant steps in for the waived Saulius Stombergas as the Lithuanian champions look to a man that guided them to the domestic and Baltic league finals in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.

Since Krapikas’ departure in 2010, the Kaunas club have been unsettled in regards to coaches. Greek veteran Iilas Zouros has had two spells with the team but on both occasions been sacked, Aleksandar Trifunovic and Spaniard Joan Plaza both left and Stombergas was waived at the end of the season.

Despite the team’s coaching troubles, Zalgiris have been able to win four straight LKL titles. And with Krapikas at the helm for this season, they hope to improve on their fortunes in the Euroleague, where they have gone out at the Top 16 stage for the last five seasons.

Krapikas had a successful playing career with Zalgiris, he spent five years in Kaunas, before ending his career in Germany. He returned to Zalgiris in 2000 to become an assistant coach and has had spells coaching Azovmash Mariupol and BC Nevėžis.

Krapikas was part of the Lithuanian national team at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona that was dominated by the USA Dream Team.

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