Last week, after the first round of Nostra.lt – RKL, as in previous years, the best players in divisions A and B were selected each week. In division A, one of them was Žygimantas Sabaliauskas, a tall player from Vytautas Magnus University.
The 21-year-old center scored 23 points in 29 minutes in a victory over Druskininkai’s Akvilė, grabbed 14 rebounds, made 2 assists, drew 8 fouls from opponents, and collected 38 efficiency points.
“I spent a lot of time resting and traveling because last season was long and full of challenges. So, I can start the season missing basketball,” said the player after his fantastic performance.
Žygimantas talked about his summer and the main reasons that allowed him to play the game of his career.
“It’s very important to start the season with a win, especially when we’re a young team—it gives us extra confidence for the upcoming games. It’s hard to say how far we are from what we showed last season. We’ve only played a few games together, but by continuing to work and improve, we can become a team that is difficult for everyone to beat,” said the tall player.
This season, the league is more competitive than ever, especially in Division A. All teams, even those that were at the bottom of the table last season, have made some serious acquisitions this year. This was also noticed by Žygimantas, who was impressed by the strengthened Druskininkai team and the even higher level of the league.
I was very impressed by their lineup – a team assembled at the NKL level. I saw several players for the first time and liked their fast playing style. I wish them all good health. The RKL is a very unpredictable league – it has never been easy to earn a spot in the playoffs here. Every season, some team falls short by one win or a positive point ratio. The new teams are really dangerous, and I think they will bring a lot of intrigue to this season. Personally, I am intrigued by all the teams – I am really looking forward to playing against each of them. All the teams have changed, and so have the rules of the game. This season will be very different from last season, and that is a welcome change by the league management. The RKL is taking big steps forward, so more and more players are returning here to play from higher leagues or even from abroad,” said the MVP of the week.
After a wonderful and historic season last year, VDU, like every team, has suffered some losses. Julius Liesis, long-time captain Domantas Taučius, who moved to Biržai, Martynas Kancevičius, who spread his wings in Monaco, and others left the team in the summer. Despite the losses, the VDU leader was pleased with the newcomers who joined the team and their successful adaptation.
It is never pleasant to lose teammates—they were an integral and very important part of the team last season. I miss these guys very much. However, we are not the only ones who have suffered losses—other teams have also lost some players. This is a natural process that keeps this championship exciting every year. The newcomers are motivated and work very hard both in training and in games. They encourage me to give my all. They have integrated into the team very well, and we veterans have welcomed them with open arms.”
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