Rytas saw off Shanghai 107-66 in the Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday, a result that confirmed our earlier prediction of a home win, though the margin was far wider than the 54 per cent confidence suggested. By then the visitors had already begun to understand the gap in quality, and it showed in every quarter.
Shanghai came into this fixture with a mixed run of results, including a narrow 115-117 loss to RSSB Tigers just the day before. Rytas, meanwhile, had shown more consistency, winning 107-89 against the same Tigers side on Tuesday. The hosts made no mistake in taking advantage of their opponents' recent fatigue.
The game itself was never really in doubt. Shanghai had gone toe-to-toe with RSSB Tigers in a thriller, but against Rytas they lacked the defensive structure to contain the home side's attack. And here's the thing about these cross-continental fixtures — the physical toll of travel often tells, especially when one side has been playing more regularly.
Shanghai's recent form had been mixed against their Chinese rivals, with three losses to Zhejiang Lions in four games. They looked to be carrying that inconsistency into Lithuania, and Rytas punished them for it. The home side controlled the tempo from the opening tip-off and never let up.
The final scoreline of 107-66 tells you everything about how this match unfolded. Shanghai managed to put up a respectable effort in their previous outing, but against a well-drilled Rytas side they were outclassed. The visitors will need to reassess their preparation if they hope to progress further in what appears to be a challenging tournament.
