Manresa Wins in Panevėžys for Third Straight Victory (66-80)

Kids&Us Manresa continues finding success in Europe where it's lacking in the Liga Endesa. Without a single win in six league games, Diego Ocampo's team won convincingly in Panevėžys in a direct matchup between two teams tied for second place in Group D. Lietkabelis led for just 46 seconds the entire game.

First Quarter Sets the Tone

The last Lithuanian lead came in the third minute, with a basket by Milos Ilić (4-3). From there, Manresa took control with their defense, the most aggressive in steals across the competition, and a 0-9 run at the end of the first quarter gave them a commanding lead (6-15). The first quarter closed at 14-24, and Lietkabelis continued to struggle in the second: another 0-9 run midway through the quarter took Manresa to their largest lead, 23 points (20-43). At halftime, the score was 28-45.

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Lithuanian Comeback Falls Short

Lietkabelis came out of halftime with renewed energy and got within ten points (39-49) led by Alexander Schumacher, their best player, with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Manresa didn't panic: they responded with a run that restored their lead to 22 points (45-67) before the final quarter. The Lithuanians won the fourth period (21-13), with debutant Bandja Sy (13 points) and Keondre Kennedy (15) as key contributors, but never got close enough to threaten.

Kolenda was Manresa's leading scorer with 14 points and three three-pointers in 18 minutes. Ferran Bassas, Hugo Benítez and Chibuzo Agbo each added 11, and Nicolás Ongenda contributed 10 from the paint.

A 4-2 Record Provides Breathing Room

With this victory, Manresa improves to 4-2 and leaves Lietkabelis at 3-3. Behind leader Bahçeşehir (5-1), the Catalan team establishes itself in the upper part of Group D. Now they must translate that confidence to the Liga Endesa, where they continue searching for their first win.