Kaunas is a city of champions once again — Žalgiris outlasts Rytas in a 5-game series

In what many are calling the greatest Betsafe-LKL Finals series of all time, Žalgiris Kaunas reclaimed the championship rings after a one-year hiatus, outlasting Rytas Vilnius 3-2 in a dramatic five-game showdown.

The series began with a stunner — Rytas silenced the Kaunas crowd with a double-overtime thriller to take Game 1. Žalgiris hit back on the road in Game 2, but Rytas once again shocked Žalgirio Arena in Game 3 to pull ahead in the series.

Game 4 looked like the beginning of the end for Kaunas, as Giedrius Žibėnas’ squad seemed ready to pop the champagne. But Žalgiris stormed back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, capped off by a clutch Sylvain Francisco three-pointer to force Game 5.

The finale followed a similar script: Rytas led for most of the game, but down the stretch, it was all Žalgiris. With the clock winding down, the green-and-whites took over and, as the final buzzer sounded, the celebrations erupted across Kaunas.

The numbers underline just how close Rytas came to defending their title. They led for roughly 170 of the 210 total game minutes and held double-digit leads in every single matchup. In contrast, Žalgiris’ largest lead came only at the final horn — the decisive 76–69 result.

It was Cisco-Disco time in the Finals as Sylvain Francisco was named Finals MVP, capping off a brilliant first season in Lithuania. The French guard averaged 22 points, 5.4 assists, and a 23.2 efficiency rating over the series — delivering when it mattered most.

There was no shortage of drama in the bronze medal series either. 7bet-Lietkabelis Panevėžys took the third-place honors, defeating CBet Jonava 3-1.

After dropping Game 1 at home and losing home-court advantage, Nenad Čanak’s squad bounced back with three straight wins — securing their sixth consecutive Betsafe-LKL medal.