2008-09 Club Profile: Lietuvos Rytas
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 Among the fastest growing big clubs in Europe, Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius heads into every season gunning for multiple titles and this year will be no different. The Lithuanian powerhouse brings an outstanding track record with it from its recent seasons in European completion.
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Lietuvos Rytas Roster 2008-09
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| Name |
Pos.
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Height
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| Donatas Zavackas |
F
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2.03
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| Marius Prekevicius |
G
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1.96
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| Justinas Sinica |
F
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2.03
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| Milko Bjelica |
C
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2.07
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| Simas Buterlevicius |
G
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2.00
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| Tautvydas Slezas |
C
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2.08
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| Sarunas Kulevicius |
G
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1.93
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| Lukas Brazdauskis |
F
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2.05
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| Branko Milisavljevic |
G
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1.93
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| Steponas Babrauskas |
G
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1.97
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| Matt Nielsen |
F
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2.08
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| Marijonas Petravicius |
C
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2.07
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| Mindaugas Lukauskis |
G
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1.98
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| Arturas Jomantas |
G
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1.99
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| Chuck Eidson |
F
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2.02
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| Michailas Anisimovas |
C
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2.16
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| Martynas Gecevicius |
G
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1.93
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| Antanas Sireika |
Head Coach
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Over the past four years, L. Rytas has twice played in the Euroleague and reached the Top 16 each time, and twice played in the ULEB Cup where it won the crown in 2005 and reached the final in 2007, just 10 years after the club’s foundation. L. Rytas was formed to fill a hole left by what had been Vilnius's main basketball club, Statyba, which had finished third in the Soviet Union championship back in 1979. L. Rytas started making a name for itself when it made it to the 2000 Saporta Cup semifinals, reached the Northern Europe Basketball League (NEBL) final that season, and won the Lithuanian League, breaking a decade of domination by Zalgiris. More titles came in 2002, when L. Rytas again lifted the NEBL trophy and added another Lithuanian League crown. L. Rytas joined the ULEB Cup for the first time in the 2003-04 season and reached the quarterfinals, but the next year the club went all the way, beating Makedonikos for the title and a ticket to the 2005-06 Euroleague. Then in the continent’s top competition, L. Rytas advanced to the Top 16, before losses against Final-Four bound Tau Ceramica and soon-to-be champ CSKA Moscow prevented L. Rytas from making the playoffs. The team bounced back to lift both the Baltic League and the Lithuanian League trophies. L. Rytas returned to the ULEB Cup Final the next season, losing against Real Madrid, but received a ticket to the Euroleague again. The club also repeated as Baltic League champs. Last season L. Rytas was again a Euroleague force, advancing to the Top 16 before injuries derailed its playoff hopes. This year’s squad features a number of players that were active members of those accomplishments, including big man Matt Nielsen and Marijonas Petravicius and forwards Arturas Jomantas and Chuck Eidson. Former Team Lithuania boss Antanas Sireika is now on the sidelines for L. Rytas and the coach has brought in some top young talents, like Milko Bjelica, Steponas Babrauskas and Justinas Sinica as well as veteran playmaker Branko Milisavljevic. Together there is no reason to doubt that L. Rytas will challenge for silverware in the Eurocup, Baltic League and Lithuanian League by the end of the season.
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Thursday, October 02, 2008
Eurocupbasketball.com
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