Žalgiris Dominates Neptūnas to Reach KMT Final
Kauno Žalgiris secured a spot in the Karaliaus Mindaugo taurė (KMT) final, defeating Klaipėdos Neptūnas 119-81 in the semi-final held in Šiauliai on Saturday, February 21, 2026. This victory marks Žalgiris’s continued success in the KMT, having never missed the final in its eleven-year history and winning the tournament eight times.
Record-Breaking Performance
Žalgiris’s 119 points set a fresh record for the KMT final four tournament. The team’s offensive prowess was led by Dustinas Sleva, who scored 23 points in just 16 minutes of play, achieving a performance index rating of 28.
Game Highlights
The first quarter saw a strong start from Sleva, scoring 8 consecutive points to deliver Žalgiris an early lead (20-14). Donatas Tarolis and Dovydas Giedraitis also contributed with key baskets, and Sylvainas Francisco finished the quarter with a three-pointer, putting Žalgiris ahead 31-22.
Neptūnas attempted to close the gap early in the second quarter, narrowing the deficit to 3 points after a three-pointer by Mindaugas Girdžiūnas (33-30). However, Žalgiris responded with a strong run, establishing a 12-point lead by halftime (56-44).
Žalgiris continued to dominate in the third quarter, with Ąžuolas Tubelis adding 7 points and Francisco contributing 2. Despite a three-pointer from Arnas Velička and a three-point play by Girdžiūnas for Neptūnas, Žalgiris extended their lead to 21 points (71-50) after consecutive three-pointers from Francisco.
Key Player Statistics
- Dustinas Sleva (Žalgiris): 23 points (3/3 two-pointers, 5/6 three-pointers), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 28 PIR
Looking Ahead
Žalgiris will advance to the KMT final, where they will face the winner of the semi-final match between Vilniaus Rytas and Panevėžio Lietkabelis, scheduled for 18:45. Neptūnas will not advance, and is currently dealing with a peties trauma to Harrison Cleary.
Source: LRT