Jonas Valančiūnas made a spectacular return to club basketball in Lithuania. In Žalgiris Kaunas’ first preseason game against Riga Zelli, the big man needed just 19 minutes to record 20 points, 9 rebounds and a 28 efficiency rating.
After the game, speaking in the Žalgiris Insider studio, the player shared his thoughts after stepping back onto the court in a Žalgiris jersey.
“It’s great to be back, put the green jersey on again and play basketball. The game was a test, a chance to see where we are. We’re still working on things and trying to put everything together. We’ve only been together for a week, and it was a very intense one. There’s still a lot to improve, but that’s exactly why we’re here. We got together early so we would have enough time to put everything in place. I think we’re heading in the right direction,” the big man said.
Žalgiris defeated the team coached by Rokas Kondratavičius by 12 points, winning 97-85. According to Valančiūnas, the Kaunas side faced a strong opponent in their first preseason test.
“They’re a very good team. They were very physical, especially on defense. It was a really good test for us. We managed to stay calm and not lose our heads, even when they put us under pressure. It was a very interesting game. Every test is useful because it shows us what we still need to work on. Training is one thing, but the pace of an actual game is completely different. I think every game is good for us, and this one was even better,” the Žalgiris player explained.
Before the game, Žalgiris Kaunas president Paulius Jankūnas had correctly predicted in the Žalgiris Insider studio that J. Valančiūnas would be the first Žalgiris player to throw down a dunk during the game.
“I had to deliver. He told me not to let him down, so I gave it a try,” Valančiūnas said with a smile.
Žalgiris Kaunas will play their second preseason game on September 2 against Utena Juventus. The game will be broadcast live by Žalgiris Insider from 17:45.
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