Kibirkstis has gone from entering the regular season as an apparently less dangerous opponent to becoming a genuine threat to the rest of the group. After overcoming the preliminary round against Poland’s AZS Poznan and Hungary’s Sopron, the Lithuanian team began its European campaign with a commanding 103-65 victory over Greece’s Athinaikos before confirming its strong form with a 67-73 win away to Basket Landes. The two surprising victories underline its competitive ability and scoring potential.
Moreover, the reigning Lithuanian champions’ record in domestic competition is equally convincing. Kibirkstis has won all five games it has played and is the only unbeaten team in its league, with an accumulated point differential of +158. Zoe Wadoux, Nausia Woolfolk, Niyah Becker and Daugile Use are among the players to watch in a team that has shown it has enough offensive resources to compete in Europe as well.
Opposing them on the third EuroLeague matchday will be a Casademont side determined to make the most of home-court advantage at the Príncipe Felipe and the support of the Red Tide to extend its perfect, unbeaten start. The game takes on added importance because the results from this first phase carry over into the next round, which will feature the top three teams from each group. In addition, the second-half schedule will force the Aragonese team to make two trips, to Landes and Lithuania, with just one home game, making a victory in front of its fans potentially decisive for the future of its European campaign.
VORACKOVA’S DEPARTURE
The build-up to the game has been marked by the announcement of Veronika Voráčková’s future departure. The Czech player, like Mariona Ortiz, will leave Casademont at the end of the year to join Project B and will remain with the team until then. It is another blow for an Aragonese side that, while focusing on a game that could shape its European future, is also continuing to work on finding two replacements capable of filling the void left by the departures of two of the most important players in the red-and-black squad.
