Lietuvos Rytas thread

[TalkBasket]

Current LKL vice champions and ULEB Cup winners thread.

Official website http://bc.lrytas.lt



History

History of Lietuvos Rytas basketball club dates back only eight seasons, but the annals of the team are already marked with important victories.

In 2000 and 2002 Lietuvos Rytas won the national title, in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005 took the second place, and in 1998 won the bronze.

The most remarkable was last season, when Vilnius team won ULEB Cup and earned spot in the Euroleague.

Very important mark in the team history also was at 2002, when Lietuvos Rytas took golden rings of LKL champions from Zalgiris Kaunas for the second time and beat the best Russian club, Ural Great Perm, in the final of NEBL Open Championship.

For the first time Lietuvos Rytas won the LKL title during season of 1999-2000, when they dethroned long time Lithuanian champions, Zalgiris. The same year Lietuvos Rytas challenged basketball giants from Bologna, Kinder, in the semifinals of Saporta Cup. Italian super club slipped to the finals by only two points: after losing 60-70 in Lithuania, Kinder took advantage at home, 83-71.

Lietuvos Rytas reached the finals of the NEBL, where they lost to CSKA Moscow.

Lietuvos Rytas started the season of 2000-2001 having two Olympic bronze medal winners, team leaders Ramunas Siskauskas and Andrius Giedraitis.

In fall of 2000 Lietuvos Rytas made its debut at the elite European club tournament, the Suproleague. After difficult start the club made it to the play-offs. In the round of Top-16 Vilnius team lost to Efes Pilsen Istanbul 1:2.

Lietuvos Rytas reached the Final Four of 2000-2001 NEBL Championship and took the third place.

2001-2002 season of Lietuvos Rytas was marked not only with impressive victories but with a terrible accident, too. After having dethroned Ural Great in the NEBL final, the main center of Lietuvos Rytas, Robertas Javtokas, was severely injured in motorcycle accident.

Even without Javtokas, Lietuvos Rytas was able to beat Zalgiris in the LKL final series 4:3.

2002-2003 season Lietuvos Rytas lost to Zalgiris in LKL finals and was defeated by Unics Kazan in FIBA Champions Cup Conference North final.

Lietuvos Rytas made debut in ULEB Cup competition in 2003 and reached quarterfinal. At national level Vilnius team kept fighting for LKL golden rings, but lost to Zalgiris at the final.

In 2004-2005 season after climbing to the highest point in the ULEB Cup competition, Lietuvos Rytas lost in the LKL final against Zalgiris. Vilnius team also finished second in the inaugural BBL championship.

Last summer Lietuvos Rytas kept nucleus of the team and also strenghtened roster adding some new players, including Australian national team leader Matthew Nielsen.

Moreover, Croatia's national team coach Neven Spahija stepped in as the head coach of Lietuvos Rytas.

"Team is ready for big challenges at every competition we participate in: Euroleague, BBL and LKL", - said Lietuvos Rytas club director Jonas Vainauskas.

Titles

2005 LKL vice champions
2005 BBL vice champions
2005 ULEB Cup winners
2004 LKL vice champions
2003 LKL vice champions
2002 LKL champions
2002 NEBL champions
2001 LKL vice champions
2000 LKL champions
1999 LKL vice champions

2005-2006 squad





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