Team Focus: Rytas Vilnius
MIES (Switzerland) - One can't talk about Lithuanian basketball without talking about Rytas Vilnius.
MIES (Switzerland) - One can't talk about Lithuanian basketball without talking about Rytas Vilnius.
This club is integral to the architecture of basketball in the Baltics and one of Europe's true giants.
The senior Rytas team has conquered six domestic league titles, three LKF Cups, two King Mindaugas Cups, and two EuroCup trophies.
Rytas just competed in the Basketball Champions League for the fourth season in a row, advancing to the Round of 16 in both of the previous two campaigns.
"The cornerstone of our philosophy is the development of strong personalities." - Rytas youth director program director Matas Urbonas
At youth level, Rytas won two U18 ANGT titles, in 2012 and 2018, and reached the final in 2009. Now the Lithuanians will be out to take the Youth BCL trophy after reaching the Semi-Finals last year.
"We are driven by a strong desire to succeed and are highly motivated to achieve our goals," said Rytas youth program director Matas Urbonas.
"Last year, we reached the semi-finals of the Youth BCL. This year, we're aiming to surpass that achievement.
"The cornerstone of our philosophy is the development of strong personalities. Playing at the senior level, especially for Rytas Vilnius where the expectations are exceedingly high, requires mental fortitude," Urbonas explained the aim of the program.
"Additionally, we prioritize supporting our local players, providing them with opportunities to showcase and develop their potential," he said.
"Finally, we offer a clear developmental pathway through our four-stage program," he added, before elaborating on the structure.
"We are extremely proud of our collaboration with two prestigious basketball schools in Vilnius—the Vilnius Basketball School and the Capital Basketball School.
"Here, players take their first crucial steps in their careers. The journey continues with participation in our third team, competing in Lithuania's third division, and progressing through to our second team in the second division.
"At the pinnacle of this structure is our senior team."
Players to watch in the Youth BCL
Gantas Križanauskas | Date of Birth: March 22, 2006 | PG/SG
Križanauskas is averaging 28 minutes, 12.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds, whilst shooting 51 percent from inside and 36.7 percent from outside the arc in the NKL (second-tier Lithuanian league).
Those performances have already earned him his senior debut in the Basketball Champions League.
In last year's Youth BCL, Križanauskas played 23.4 minutes and put up 8 points and 2.7 assists whilst playing up a year. We can expect him to be one of the standout players of the tournament.
Dziugas Remeikis | Date of Birth: March 28, 2006 | PG
Program Alumni
Jonas Valanciunas | Martynas Gecevicius | Arturas Jomantas | Stepas Babrauskas | Eimantas Bendžius, Evaldas Kairys | Gytis Radzevicius | Margiris Normantas | Deividas Sirvydis | Marek Blazevic | Azuolas Tubelis | Augustas Marciulionis.
"Two current senior team players, Margiris Normantas (also the team captain) and Gytis Radzevičius, are alumni of our youth system," Urbonas said,
"Reflecting on those who have moved on from Rytas Vilnius, we can list notable names starting with Jonas Valančiūnas and including Ąžuolas Tubelis and Augustas Marčiulionis."