Rokas Jocius’s performance helped Šakiai Vyčius-VDU (13-5) secure another victory in the URBO-NKL season. Erikas Kučiauskas’s team won 93:88 (25:36, 17:18, 28:15, 23:19) defeated Ukmergė’s Steko (4-13) for the second time, which was their fourth consecutive defeat.
Jocys, who repeated his efficiency record in the second-strongest championship, scored 29 points (7/7 two-pointers, 3/10 three-pointers, 6/7 free throws), 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 assists, and 35 efficiency points.
The 21-year-old guard has averaged 20 points and 26 points in the last four games.
His best teammates were Titas Januševičius with 19 points, 5 steals, and 25 efficiency points, and Gabrielius Čelka with 15 points, 7 assists, and 23 points.
After the first quarter, Ukmergė went on a 17:4 run and gained a record lead at the start of the second quarter (40:25). The hosts went into the locker room with a solid 54:42 lead.
However, with 3 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Steko’s powerful offense stalled. Over the next 5 minutes of play, the hosts failed to score a single point, and the visitors, led by Jocius and Januševičius, took advantage of this to go on a 15:0 run – 76:69.
From that moment on, the tense battle continued until the very end. With 24 seconds left, Rahsaano Edwards’ two-pointer cut Ukmergė’s deficit to 2 points (88:90), and the foul tactic against Jocis paid off, as the Palanga player made one of two free throws (91:88).
With 11 seconds left on the clock and after a minute-long break by Steko, Robertas Subotkevičius’ long-range attempt flew wide, but Jocus, standing at the free throw line again, made no mistake this time and sealed Vyčio-VDU’s victory – 93:88.
Information from nklyga.lt




