LTU - Zalgiris send Maskoliunas packing

KAUNAS (LKL) - The basketball hotbed of Lithuania will next year host EuroBasket 2011.

For now, the country's top flight seems to have descended into chaos with Zalgiris’ Russian-born owner Vladimir Romanov having sacked coach Darius Maskoliunas in the middle of the LKL play-off championship.

Maskoliunas, who replaced Ramunas Butautas late in the season and steered Zalgiris to the Baltic League title, was apparently given his marching orders before Game 3 of the LKL finals on Monday night but eventually showed up on the bench and coached with the full backing of the players.

He was not allowed to lead the team in training on Tuesday night, however.

Zalgiris claimed on their website they have made the move because Maskoliunas breached his contract.

Romanov has made statements in the Lithuanian press that he wants fan favorite Marcus Brown to be involved in the coaching set-up along with sporting director, Sarunas Sakalauskas.

For now, assistant coach Gvidonas Markevicius seems likely to coach the team for the remainder of the play-offs.

Despite the pandemonium of Monday, Zalgiris fought hard for Maskoliunas and battled back from a 20-point deficit to lead Lietuvos Rytas in the fourth quarter before falling 83-81.

They trail in the series, 2-1.

Game 4 is on Thursday night in Kaunas, where Zalgiris fans are expected to protest the removal of Maskoliunas as coach.

Romanov is also the majority shareholder of Scottish top-flight football team, Hearts.

FIBA