VIDEO PREVIEW INTERVIEW: M. POPOVIC INTERVIEW: J. PLAZA

ROSTER

4 DARDEN, TREMMELL F 1.94 6 POPOVIC, MARKO G 1.85 7 LAVRINOVIC, DARJUS C 2.12 8 JUSKEVICIUS, ADAS G 1.94 9 KALNIETIS, MANTAS G 1.95 10 LIPKEVICIUS, VYTENIS F 1.95 12 KLIMAVICIUS, TADAS F 2.04 13 JANKUNAS, PAULIUS F 2.03 15 JAVTOKAS, ROBERTAS C 2.10 17 DELAS, MARIO F 2.07 19 KUZMINSKAS, MINDAUGAS F 2.05 20 LAFAYETTE, OLIVER G 1.88 21 KAUKENAS, RIMANTAS G 1.92 31 FOOTE, JEFF C 2.13 33 LAVRINOVIC, KSISTOF C 2.09 Head Coach: PLAZA, JOAN

2011-12 Results Euroleague: Regular Season 4-6 Top 16 0-6 Baltic B. League: Champion Lithuanian League: Champion Lithuanian Cup trophy: Champion HISTORIC RESULTS 2011-12: 4-12, Top 16 2010-11: 6-10, Top 16 2009-10: 5-11, Top 16 2008-09: 2-8, Regular Season 2007-08: 9-11, Top 16 2006-07: 2-12, Regular Season 2005-06: 9-11, Top 16 2004-05: 8-12, Top 16 2003-04: 9-11, Top 16 2002-03: 5-9, Regular Season 2001-02: 5-9, Regular Season 2000-01: 6-6, Playoffs

WHAT'S NEW
The Lithuanian powerhouse enters the season with a new coach in Joan Plaza, who returns to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague after three years, and a revamped team that features seven new players. Zalgiris loaded its roster with experience by bringing in veterans in guard Rimantas Kaukenas and twin brother big men Darjus and Ksistof Lavrinovic. In addition, Zalgiris added point guard Oliver Lafayette, swingmen Tremmell Darden and Adas Juskevicius and center Jeff Foote, who replaces the injured Robertas Javtokas.


THE BACKCOURT
Marko Popovic and Mantas Kalnietis return from last season to find many new faces. Both Popovic and Kalnietis can play and produce at either guard positions, though Popovic is more a scorer, while Kalnietis is lethal leading his team in transition. They should gel instantly with both Lafayette and Kaukenas. Lafayette is known for his great on-the-ball defense and penetrations skills, while Kaukenas is a quiet leader and an often unstoppable scorer. Another difference maker is Darden, whose uncanny athleticism allows him to impact the game at both ends of the floor.

THE FRONTCOURT
The Lavrinovic twins are reunited for the first time in five seasons and should feel at home alongside players they know from the Lithuanian national teams. Team captain Paulius Jankunas joins the twins to form a versatile trio that combines skill in the paint with excellent three-point shooting. Foote provides Zalgiris with size and scoring touch in the paint. Like the projected starters, reserves Tadas Klimavicius and Mindaugas Kuzminskas can rebound and shoot from outside – two things that figure to be hallmarks of the team. Defensive specialist Vytenis Lipkevicius and Mario Delas will fight for minutes in the stacked frontcourt.

OUTLOOK
There is a lot of optimism around this club. The roster is full of experience, talent, and players who seem to complement each other well. Coach Plaza also has the luxury to look deep into his bench on any given night. Three years in a row Zalgiris has made it to the Top 16, but in their last six Top 16 appearances they have won only four games. This season, though, Zalgiris looks to have all the necessary pieces and is hungry to reach the playoffs at the minimum.