MVP of the game: Chasity Melvin (Lotos VBW Clima)

In Gdynia, Lotos VBW Clima defeated Lietuvos Telekomas 74-72 to move into 5th place in Group B of the EuroLeague Women. Experts agreed before the start of the season that this group would be the toughest of the 2 and it is proving to be the case.

With the win, Gydnia move into 5th place, still one outside a play-off spot. Lietuvos Telekomas in the meantime can consider themselves unlucky. Of the 7 games they have played this season, 5 have been decided by less than 5 points, and they have lost 4. 

The home team started the stronger with points by Malgorzata Dydek and Agnieszka Bibrzycka to gain an early 12-2 lead. Irena Baranuskaite was the only Lithuanian player to answer Gdynia with points by that time.

Later she was supported by her teammates and after a 3-pointer by Rima Valentine Lietuvos Telekomas took a 16-17 lead. Finally the host team managed to tie the first quarter at 22 with Israeli national team captain Limor Mizrachi`s points in the last seconds.

The game remained close throughout the second quarter. Jurgita Streimikyte, Valentiene and Baranuskaite (17 points in the first half) kept the pressure on Gdynia with their scoring.

In the 16th minute, Chesity Melvin caught fire and Lotos VBW Clima took 42:36 lead after the American Center scored 4 points in a row. In the end Gdynia won the first half by two points (44-42).

There were no major changes to the stlye of the game in the second half - tough defense, close result and a fast game. Gdynia took an 11-point lead after Bibrzycka's 3-pointer (72-61) with 6 minutes to go. From that point Gdynia seemed unable to score again and the Lithuanians cut their point deficit to get right back into the game.

		The worried look on the Gdynia player´s faces soon vanished

They even had a chance to win an away game in Gdynia, but couldn't make a final basket in the last seconds. After several missed shots Melvin managed to pull down a rebound with the score at 74-72 and 3 seconds left.

That action brought Melvin MVP honours. According to coach Algirdas Paulauskas Malgorzata go Dydek had the biggest influence on the final result as she was the top player of Gdynia in scoring (19), rebounds (11) and assists (4).

On the other side Krzysztof Koziorowicz (Head Coach of Gdynia) was very impressed by Irena Baranuskaite's shooting performance (27 points, 13 of 21FG).

MVP of the game: Chesity Melvin (Gdynia) with 13 points and 7 rebounds