Ryga Coach ลฝibฤnas Points to โFoundational Errors After Loss, Praises Former Player Pleikys
VILNIUS – Ryga coach G. ลฝibฤnas attributed his team’s defensive โคstruggles in a recent โคgame to basic errorsโ madeโข in โthe initial stages of their defensive plan, stating that mistakes at this level are โexceedingly tough to correctโข later in the game.โข “In theโ first phase we โขwere fluid and soft. If you make a mistake inโค the first phase, it is very difficult to cover it up later,” ลฝibฤnas explained.
The coach emphasized that the defensive issues stemmed โคfrom โคa โfailureโค to execute basicโค principles, specifically in the initial defensive barriers.โฃ “When the ball โฃgoes to โขthe penaltyโ area, we haveโ toโค thinkโข about how toโฃ defend there as well. But today we hadโ to do everything better already at the first โคbarrier – โขhow we hang onโ the opponent’s shoulder, how we leave the barriers, what good hands should be. This was โnot โthe case today,” he said. The loss highlights the importance of consistent execution ofโ foundational โคstrategies in โcompetitive basketball, and theโ challenges teams face when these fundamentals breakโฃ down.
Despite theโ team’s defensive shortcomings, ลฝibฤnas offered praise for Oskaras Pleikys, aโ former Ryga student who โscored 23 points in 36 minutes (8/9 doubles, 2/4 triples, 1/1 penalty), withโข 4โ rebounds and 2 assists, accumulating โ25 utilityโค points.
“Everything โฃis fine – he feels very good here, he is โขbeing used well. Especially now, when there is no such rotation, they will โplay 35 minutesโข and score every shot.โค Of course, anyone woudl โคhave scored against us โwith โฃsuch a defense. โคBut in no โway do we write offโ Oskar’s โskill. He โฃshows his โpotential and we are happy toโค see him โafter such a season and shining bright colors,” ลฝibฤnas concluded.The coach’s comments acknowledge Pleikys’s performance while concurrentlyโ underscoringโ the extent of โRyga’s defensive vulnerabilities.