Baltic League, Game 4: October 14-15, 2006 Zalgiris Kaunas improved to 4-0 atop of Group A in the Baltic League with a 72-82 win over Barons Riga on Sunday. Marko Popovic kept his team in the picture with 19 first-half points and then Zalgiris blew the game open with a 2-29 run in the third period. In a much-anticipated showdown on Saturday, Lietuvos Rytas held on to edge BK Ventspils 75-77, while both Sakalai and Nevezis won for the first time this season. Sakalai topped Kalev/ Cramo 83-77 and Nevezis defeated Atletas 79-88. Barons started strong and led 24-20 after 10 minutes, but Popovic and Hanno Motola stepped up in the second quarter to tie the game at 43-43 at halftime. Zalgiris improved its defense in the third quarter and raced out to a 45-72 lead. Barons made a valiant effort to get back, but Zalgiris held on for the win. Popvic finished with a game-high 20, Tanoka Beard had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Kirk Penney added 15 and Paulius Jankunas was good for 12 points and 10 rebounds. Stephen Rish led Riga with 18 points and 9 boards. Lithuanian champs L. Rytas scored 6 unanswered points to take a 13-19 lead after 10 minutes. A 0-13 run in the second quarter saw the lead grow to 26-44 at halftime. But Ventspils wasn't ready to throw in the towel. The Latvian champs continued to cut into the deficit throughout the third period, eventually completing a remarkable comeback, riding the hot hands of Uvis Helmanis and Raimonds Vaikulisto knot the score at 62. It was a see-saw battle in the final minutes, but Helmanis and Vaikulis's heroics came up short. Nevertheless, Eddy Shannon had a chance to force overtime with 1.6 seconds left, but his long-range shot was off target. Titus Ivory led L. Rytas with 20 points and 7 rebounds, Andre Emmett had 13 and 8 and Andrius Slezas and former Ventspils player Marius Petravicus added 10 each. Eddy Shannon scored a game-high 24 for Ventspils, followed by Vaikulis's 15 and Helmanis and Dalron Johnson, with 11 points and 8 rebounds each. LAST GAME GAME 4 - October 13-15, 2006 Day Match Result Oct. 13 Neptunas vs. Sakalai 93-83 Oct. 13 Siauliai vs. Kalev/ Cramo 78-64 Oct. 13 ASK Riga vs. Rock 75-70 Oct. 14 Ventspils vs. Lietuvos Rytas 75-77 Oct. 14 Atletas vs. Nevezis 79-88 Oct. 14 Sakalai vs. Kalev/ Cramo 83-77 Oct. 15 Barons vs. Zalgiris 72-82 NEXT GAME GAME 5 - October 17-21, 2006 Day Match Oct. 17 Nevezis vs. Lietuvos Rytas Oct. 17 Neptunas vs. Barons Oct. 17 Lacplesa Alus vs. Siauliai Oct. 17 Zalgiris vs. Sakalai Oct. 18 Atletas vs. Rock Oct. 21 Kalev/ Cramo vs. Barons - STANDINGS TG W L P+ P- Group A 1 Zalgiris 4 4 0 337 283 2 Siauliai 4 3 1 294 278 3 Neptunas 4 2 2 334 356 4 Kalev/ Cramo 5 1 4 391 403 5 Lacplesa Alus 3 2 1 227 221 6 Barons 4 1 3 273 283 7 Sakalai 4 1 3 314 346 Group B 1 Ventspils 5 4 1 417 368 2 ASK Riga 4 4 0 326 277 3 Lietuvos Rytas 4 3 1 371 256 4 Rock 4 2 2 295 300 5 Nevezis 4 1 3 308 328 6 Atletas 4 0 4 249 392 7 Panevezys 3 0 3 214 259 Sunday, October 15, 2006 Euroleague.net