Žalgiris Defends Citadele King Mindaugas Cup Title in Dramatic Final Win Over Neptūnas

In a thrilling Citadele King Mindaugas Cup final, Žalgiris Kaunas edged out Neptūnas Klaipėda 91-89, securing their sixth consecutive title. Despite Neptūnas leading for most of the game, including a 13-point advantage in the third quarter, Žalgiris mounted a comeback to claim victory in the final seconds. Ignas Brazdeikis was named MVP, contributing 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Neptūnas, led by Desure Buie and Nate Johnson, started strong, taking a 45-43 lead into halftime. They extended it to 63-50 in the third, but Žalgiris fought back and trailed by just one point heading into the fourth (68-69).

With under a minute to play, Deividas Gailius' three-pointer briefly gave Neptūnas an 89-88 lead, but Žalgiris responded with a crucial play from Deividas Sirvydis to seal the win.

This intense battle showcased the resilience of both teams, with Neptūnas falling just short despite a valiant effort. The victory earned Žalgiris €40,000, while Neptūnas received €25,000 as runners-up.

In a thrilling battle for third place, 7bet-Lietkabelis secured their fifth-ever bronze medal, defeating Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius 100-91 in a high-scoring affair. 

Despite a rough start, with 7bet-Lietkabelis trailing by as much as 12 points early on, they bounced back in the second quarter to take a slim 52-49 lead at halftime. The pivotal moment came in the third period when Oleksandr Kovliar, who finished with 30 points and 7 assists, spearheaded a 10-0 run, putting 7bet-Lietkabelis in control. The Vilnius side, making their first-ever appearance at a Final Four, fought hard but could not overcome the deficit, ultimately settling for fourth place.

Tre'Shawn Thurman and Marek Blaževič had solid performances, scoring 28 and 21 points respectively, but it was not enough to capture the medal.

The Citadele King Mindaugas Cup awarded €15,000 for third place and €10,000 for the fourth-place team.