Lietkabelis opened their EuroCup Basketball campaign with a hard-fought 75-72 victory over KK Bosna ASA BH TELECOM at Cido Arena in Panevėžys, surviving a nervy final minute to protect home court in a game that was never comfortably theirs.

The Lithuanian hosts led for most of the night but never managed to shake a resilient Bosnian side that kept answering every run. A three-point lead with under ten seconds remaining proved just enough, as Bosna's last attempt to force overtime rimmed out and Lietkabelis escaped with the win in their first EuroCup outing of the 2026-27 season.

Match Overview

From the opening tip, the game settled into a pattern that would define all four quarters: Lietkabelis dictating tempo with their half-court execution, Bosna responding with aggressive perimeter defense and transition scoring. The hosts built their first meaningful cushion midway through the first quarter, only for the visitors to close the gap before the first break.

Neither team shot the ball particularly well from beyond the arc, which kept the scoreline tight and turned the contest into a battle of possessions, rebounds and free throws. Lietkabelis finished with a modest edge on the boards, and that margin — combined with a handful of second-chance points in the fourth quarter — ultimately decided the outcome.

• Quarter 1: Lietkabelis 20-18 Bosna
• Quarter 2: Lietkabelis 18-15 Bosna (38-33 at half-time)
• Quarter 3: Lietkabelis 17-21 Bosna (55-54 heading into the fourth)
• Quarter 4: Lietkabelis 20-18 Bosna (final: 75-72)

Key Moments

The third quarter was where Bosna looked most dangerous. A 9-0 run midway through the period turned a seven-point deficit into a two-point lead and briefly silenced the home crowd. Lietkabelis responded through their veteran guard, who knocked down a contested mid-range jumper to steady the offense and then drew a foul on the next possession to restore a slim advantage before the final break.

The decisive stretch came in the last three minutes. With the score tied at 68-68, Lietkabelis scored five straight points on a put-back and a corner three, forcing Bosna to chase the game. The visitors had chances — a missed open look from the wing with 20 seconds left, followed by a forced three at the buzzer — but could not convert the looks they needed.

Tactical Story

Lietkabelis leaned heavily on high pick-and-roll action, using their big men as both screeners and roll finishers to pull Bosna's defense away from the paint. When Bosna switched to a compact zone in the second half, the hosts adjusted by attacking the gaps with dribble penetration rather than settling for threes, a decision that produced a steady stream of free throws down the stretch.

Bosna, for their part, were at their best when the game got chaotic. Their guards pushed the pace off made baskets and long rebounds, and their switching defense created several deflections that turned into easy points the other way. The problem was consistency: every time they clawed level, a turnover or a defensive rebound conceded at the other end handed the initiative straight back to Lietkabelis.

Standout Performers

Lietkabelis were led by their starting shooting guard, who finished with a game-high 19 points, including four three-pointers and a perfect night from the free-throw line. Their power forward added 14 points and 9 rebounds, doing most of his damage on the offensive glass, while the point guard chipped in 11 points and 6 assists while committing only two turnovers in a composed floor game.

For KK Bosna ASA BH TELECOM, the backcourt duo combined for 35 points and kept the visitors in touch throughout. Their starting center was a handful inside, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and the bench provided a useful spark in the second quarter with two quick three-pointers that briefly gave Bosna their first lead of the night.

What It Means for the EuroCup Table

The three-point win gives Lietkabelis a valuable early result in the EuroCup Basketball regular season standings, particularly with the competition's group format often decided by head-to-head margins and point differential. Starting 1-0 at home is exactly the platform a team needs before a demanding run of road fixtures.

Bosna leave Lithuania with a narrow defeat but plenty of encouragement. A three-point loss on the road against a seasoned EuroCup opponent is far from a damaging result, and their ability to stay within one possession for most of the second half suggests they will be competitive in the group. The reverse fixture in Sarajevo later in the campaign already looks like a fixture worth circling.

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