Lietkabelis made home advantage count in the EuroCup Basketball on Wednesday, defeating PAOK B.C. 95-86 in Panevėžys after a performance built on second-half control and timely perimeter shooting. The Lithuanian side pulled clear after a tight opening twenty minutes and held off every Greek comeback attempt to secure a valuable result in the continental competition.

Match Overview

The final score of 95-86 reflected a game that was close for long stretches before Lietkabelis' efficiency from beyond the arc and their dominance on the boards tipped the balance. PAOK competed hard and stayed within touching distance until the closing minutes, but they could not match the hosts' execution down the stretch.

• Final score: Lietkabelis 95 – 86 PAOK B.C.
• Competition: EuroCup Basketball
• Quarter scores: 24-20, 22-25, 26-19, 23-22
• Key statistic: Lietkabelis 13 three-pointers to PAOK's 8

How the Game Unfolded

Lietkabelis started brightly, taking the first quarter 24-20 behind patient half-court execution and a pair of early triples. PAOK, however, produced the best spell of their evening in the second period, outscoring the hosts 25-22 and briefly trimming the margin to a single possession. The half-time score of 46-45 told the story of a genuinely even contest.

The third quarter changed everything. Lietkabelis came out of the locker room with renewed intensity, moving the ball faster and attacking the PAOK zone before it could set. A 26-19 period gave them a double-digit cushion heading into the final ten minutes, and though PAOK kept scoring, they never seriously threatened to overturn the deficit.

Key Moments

The decisive sequence arrived midway through the third quarter, when Lietkabelis converted three consecutive possessions — a corner three, a transition layup and an and-one — to stretch a three-point lead into eleven. It forced a PAOK timeout and shifted the momentum permanently in the hosts' favour.

In the fourth, the Greek side made one last push, cutting the lead to six with under four minutes remaining. Lietkabelis responded with a composed possession that ended in an open three from the top of the key, effectively ending the contest.

Tactical Story

Lietkabelis' offence was defined by spacing and unselfishness. They consistently generated open looks through drive-and-kick actions, and their willingness to make the extra pass repeatedly punished a PAOK defence that was a step slow in rotation. The rebounding battle was equally important — the hosts won the boards decisively, limiting PAOK's second-chance opportunities and fuelling their own fast breaks.

PAOK's offence was at its best when operating through the post and the mid-range pull-up, but they settled for too many contested jumpers as the game wore on. Their assist-to-turnover ratio dipped in the second half, a reflection of the pressure Lietkabelis applied on the ball.

Standout Players

• Mantas Rubštavičius paced Lietkabelis with 22 points and 6 assists, controlling the tempo throughout.
• Gabrielius Maldūnas was dominant inside with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Kristupas Žemaitis added 16 points, including four three-pointers at crucial moments.
• For PAOK, Dimitris Katsivelis top-scored with 20 points and 5 assists, while Vangelis Margaritis added 14 points and 8 rebounds.

EuroCup Standings Impact

The victory gives Lietkabelis a valuable home win in the EuroCup Basketball group phase, strengthening their push for a top-four finish and the knockout rounds that follow. Home results in this competition are precious, and Panevėžys has quickly become a difficult trip for visiting sides.

For PAOK, the loss leaves them needing to make up ground, most likely on their own floor. Their scoring output of 86 points would win plenty of EuroCup games — the problem on this occasion was stopping a Lietkabelis side that shot the ball at a very high level from the perimeter.