Nike IJT Group B report: Zalgiris Kaunas - Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv
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Zalgiris Kaunas, a finalist at the Nike International Junior Tournament last season, opened the new edition on the right foot with an 80-59 whitewashing of Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv in the Group B opener. Zalgiris got its engine running right from the start, and took a 23-4 lead after 9 minutes. Sean Daniel, who scored the first 4 points of Maccabi, sank a three-pointer from the corner, but his team finished the first quarter down 28-9. Zalgiris climbed to 43-14 before taking a halftime rest with a 49-28 lead. Donatas Motiejunas dominated the paint as Zalgiris continued to hold a big lead, which reached 66-36. Maccabi then woke up and scored 14 points in a row, and after a three-point shot by Ben Reis, the margin was only 13. But Zalgiris didn't allow more than that, and closed the game with a 21-point win. Motiejunas finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Adas Juskevicius added 11. Daniel was the top scorer for Maccabi with 13 and Anton Shoutvin added 12.
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Yarone Arbel, Euroleague.net
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