Defending champion Lietuvos Rytas took sole possession of first place in the Lithuanian League with a big 93-78 win over visiting rival Zalgiris Kaunas at home in Vilnius on Saturday. Joao Paulo Batista led five L. Rytas scorers in double figures with 20 points as the team improved to 7-0. Vidas Ginevicius gave Zalgiris its only lead of the game, 35-36, from the free-throw with 3 minutes left in the first half. Titus Ivory and Roberts Stelmahers responded with back-to-back three-pointers and L. Rytas increased the margin to 49-40 by halftime. The visitors got within 5 midway through the third before only for Mindaugas Lukauskis to set up Marijonas Petravicius for an easy score and then drill a triple of his own as the hosts pulled away for good. Andrius Slezas had 17 for L. Rytas, while Ivory had 11 points and 6 assists and Andre Emmet and Arturas Jomantas added 10 each. Tanoka Beard had 21 points and 8 boards to lead Zalgiris, which was undefeated coming into the game and now is in second place at 6-1. Marko Popovic and Marcelo Machado added 13 apiece, Mantas Kalnietis had 11 and Jonas Maciulis for the visitors, who were out-rebounded 39-26. In Saturday's other game, Atletas edged Suduva 79-80 on the road. Suduva led by as many as 18 in the second quarter, but Atletas stromed back throughout the second half and won it on Linas Juknevicius's triple with 29 seconds remaining. Singaras Tribe led Atletas with 21. In Friday's games, Panevezys topped Suduva 65-62, Neptunas beat Nevezis 85-94 and Siauliai defeated Sakalai 80-86.