Nevezis coach Cvirka bracing for a tough test against Bakken Bears

KEDAINIAI (FIBA Europe Cup) - After booking a place in the FIBA Europe Cup via the Qualification Rounds, BC Nevezis have already proven they belong on the European stage just two games into the club's maiden international campaign.

It did not take long for the Ramunas Cvirka-coached competition newcomers to open their victory tally in Group B, bouncing back from a close loss to SL Benfica in Lisbon by handing Avtodor Saratov an 84-83 upset in Lithuania last week.

Nevezis will finish the first half of the Regular Season with another home fixture against Bakken Bears, hoping to build momentum that could eventually materialize into a ticket to the Second Round.

"In my opinion, Bakken Bears should be one of the two teams that step into the next round."Nevezis head coach Ramunas CvirkaNevezis head coach Ramunas Cvirka

"Bakken Bears won against Benfica last week. Confidently. They lost in Saratov against Avtodor, but only in the last moments and only by a few points," assessed coach Cvirka, looking ahead to Wednesday's clash against opponents from Denmark.

"I would point them out as one of the teams that should be among the leaders in Group B. In my opinion, Bakken Bears should be one of the two teams that step into the next round."

The 50-year-old Lithuanian specialist in charge of Nevezis noted the individual talent on the squad of the Danish champions, who earned added valuable experience in the Basketball Champions League last season.

"They are a dangerous team. They have players that are skilled and well-prepared individually. They have players who are able to create and that's what makes them dangerous," coach Cvirka underlined.

"We need to stop their transition game and be prepared to play against their pressing. They like to do that throughout the entirety of the game. Once you commit a turnover, they will punish you by scoring on the fast break."

The Lithuanian side relied on outside shooting for much of their offense in the victory against Avtodor, draining eight long-range baskets after the break to open a comfortable lead.

Nevezis had another solid shooting night in the domestic championship on Saturday, where they shocked Lithuanian powerhouse Lietuvos Rytas in front of their fans in Kedainiai.

The recent addition of former Latvia international Rihards Kuksiks, who scored 16 points in his FIBA Europe Cup debut last week and was solid in both LKL games he played, has added some much-needed depth to coach Cvirka's roster.

The well-rounded scoring on his team is something that the Nevezis playcaller is banking on for success.

"Our game is not based on a single player," the coach said. "We play a team game. We have a number of guys who can score. One time our top scorer is Valerii Likhodei, the next time it's Malcolm Grant, then it's Justas Tamulis and after that it's Rihards Kuksiks," said Cvirka, listing his main options offensively.

"Our positions are more or less pretty well balanced. If one player is not playing that well on a particular day, the others can step up and play better."Nevezis head coach Ramunas CvirkaNevezis head coach Ramunas Cvirka

Could that also be an important factor against Bakken Bears, making it more difficult for the opponent defensively?

"That is true. Our positions are more or less pretty well balanced. If one player is not playing that well on a particular day, the others can step up and play better," he said.

The game between Nevezis and Bakken Bears will tip off at 17:00 CET on Wednesday and will be available free on YouTube.com/FIBA both live and on demand.

FIBA