Can Lavrinovic family finally get some club hardware?

[by David HEIN] - Watching the Lithuanian Lavrinovic brothers can be a pure joy at times. Both are dominant big guys who can run the floor, play inside and even drain the long ball.

But that memorable mix has yet to translate to a European club title for either 28-year-old brother.

That may change this season as Ksystof Lavrinovic has helped Italian club Montepaschi Siena to the quarter-final play-offs of the Euroleague, which tip off on Tuesday. And Unics Kazan has been a different team since the return from injury of Darjus Lavrinovic, who has guided the Russian club to the Final Eight of the ULEB Cup, which will be played out in Turin on April 10-13.

Siena face off against Fenerbahce with a berth at the Final Four in Madrid at stake. And Ksystof Lavrinovic will undoubtedly play a big part of the success, averaging 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks off the bench.

In Madrid, Siena would then play Barcelona or Maccabi Tel Aviv in the semi-finals.

In the ULEB Cup, Darjus Lavrinovic has collected 15.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.9 apg and 2.4 blpg, including a monster 21 points and 16 rebounds in Unics Kazan's Last 16 return leg win over Artland Dragons to reach the Final Eight.

Kazan will next face Spanish side Akasvayu Girona with a semi-final showdown against either Dynamo Moscow or PGE Turow Zgorzelec waiting.

Neither Lavrinovic brother has an easy road to the hardware. But it will be a welcome sight since the Lavrinovic family cupboard lacks any European club trophy.

Ksystof actually helped the Lithuanian national team to the 2003 European Championships crown, averaging 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in Sweden. But Lithuania have failed to grab another international championship despite having both Lavrinovic brothers in the squad since the 2005 EuroBasket.

A European club championship, however, has also been lacking.

Ksystof reached the semi-finals of the FIBA Europe League in 2004, losing to Unics Kazan in the Final Four. Three years later, Ksystof had moved on to Unics and brought them to the 2007 ULEB Cup semi-finals before falling to eventual champions Real Madrid.

Darjus, who did help Zalgiris Kaunas to the 2005 Baltic League title, was also with Unics Kazan last season, but the Lavrinovic combination was not enough.

Now that the big man brothers are separated again, can 2008 be the year when the Lavrinovic family finally can cherish a European club title?

The answer will come soon.