Zalgiris Kaunas staged a remarkable comeback at home on Wednesday, defeating the reigning EuroLeague champions Fenerbahce 81-78 to force a fourth game in their quarterfinal series.
Fenerbahce struck first at the Zalgirio Arena, racing to a 2-10 lead behind two early three-pointers from Nicolo Melli and Devon Hall. The Lithuanians responded immediately with triples from Arnas Butkevicius and Williams-Goss, improving their perimeter production in just four minutes compared to the first two games of the series, where they had only made one three-pointer before halftime.
However, Tomas Masiulis’ side rushed into forced shots (2/10) and were outrebounded by Fenerbahce, which quickly put together a 0-12 run to take control. The Turkish team closed the first quarter with a 13-point lead (12-25).
Saras Jasikevicius’ rotations proved effective as his team doubled the hosts’ score (16-33). Zalgiris struggled with star Sylvain Francisco going 0/5 from the field, though Williams-Goss partially compensated by hitting 3/5 from beyond the arc.
A 14-3 surge helped Zalgiris cut the deficit to single digits for the first time in a while, after trailing by as many as 19 points. Despite the rally, Fenerbahce held a 35-42 advantage at halftime.
The momentum shifted after the break. A three-point play from Moses Wright and consecutive triples by an inspired Azuolas Tubelis brought the hosts within four points (44-48), opening up the game and frustrating Jasikevicius on the bench.
Masiulis’ team ended the third quarter just five points behind (57-62) and tightened their defense in the final period to keep the series alive. Five straight points from the Lithuanian forward and two from Wright tied the game at 70-70 for the first time. Another bank shot from Tubelis gave Zalgiris its first lead with two minutes remaining.
Zalgiris, growing stronger as the game progressed, remained solid and created a critical moment for the Turks, who faltered down the stretch and opened the door for a stunning comeback (81-78) led by a dazzling Tubelis, named MVP of the contest with 26 points, 3/4 from three-point range, 6 rebounds, and a 31 efficiency rating.
The fourth game of the series will be played next Friday at the Zalgirio Arena, giving the Lithuanians a chance to even the series.
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