LKLasico: All-time highest scoring derby performances in LKL sponsored by Betsson

The 2025/2026 LKL sponsored by Betsson season is coming to an end, as teams are getting ready for the playoffs and to face their opponents. For example, Žalgiris Kaunas have already secured first place in the standings and will face off against the eight-seed team. Whereas Rytas Vilnius, after breaking a five-game losing streak, are currently in the second spot.

This year, both teams are not only showing great results in the domestic league. Žalgiris are currently competing in the Euroleague playoffs against Istanbul Fenerbahce, while Rytas are getting ready to fight for the Basketball Champions League’s trophy in the Final Four in Badalona.

It is clear that the European season for both teams is already successful, but let’s concentrate on the battles between these two Lithuanian basketball powerhouses.

The derbies against Žalgiris and Rytas have always been special and a major attraction, even for those who aren’t particularly interested in basketball. It is safe to say that players feel extra motivated to play against their longtime rival, which leads to extremely intense matchups, nail-biting endings, and, of course, high-scoring performances.

LKL academy powered by Citadele presents you with a list of all-time highest-scoring performances in LKL sponsored by Betsson derbies.

Before diving into the list, we must mention those players who were close but didn’t make the cut. Jonas Mačiulis and Margiris Normantas both have a derby game under their belt where they scored 30 points. Whereas last summer, during the finals, Sylvain Francisko racked up 31 points, just like Arvydas Macijauskas in 2002.

5-7. Ivan Buva, 32 points

On April 11, 2021, Žalgiris faced off against the visiting team Rytas in Kaunas. Žalgiris was seen as a clear favorite, since they had won the last 15 derbies in a row. The last Vilnius team’s win was back in the 2017/2018 season, when Rimas Kurtinaitis, a legendary basketball coach, took over coaching duties, and the team’s name had not yet been changed from Lietuvos rytas to Rytas.

During the entire forty minutes, both teams were neck and neck and didn’t let their opponent build a significant lead. Žalgiris saw their advantage in the paint and made the most of it. However, Andrew Goudelock’s free throws and 4 made three-pointers out of 5 prevented the EuroLeague team from pulling away.

The game was ultimately decided in the last quarter, when Martin Schiller’s team tied the score after Thomas Walkup made 3 consecutive three-pointers. With just one second left in the game, Augustine Rubit committed a foul, and Dovis Bičkauskis’ successful free-throw sealed the victory for Rytas.

The green-and-whites were bold enough to let Ivan Buva take shots from further distances, and they paid heavily for it. The Croatian player made 8 of 10 two-pointers, 3 of 4 three-pointers, and 7 of 8 free throws, scoring a total of 32 points. That day, the 2021/2022 season MVP for the Kaunas team became a riddle they never managed to solve.

5-7. Robert Pack, 32 points

Žalgiris signed Robert Pack with high expectations, since his resume was very impressive. The guard played in the NBA for thirteen seasons, where he averaged 8.9 points and 4.6 assists per game. The 1995/1996 season was his best one. He played for the Washington Wizards and averaged 18.1 points.

In one of the interviews, the American stated that he didn’t know much about Lithuania, but he wanted to team up with Arvydas Sabonis, with whom he played in Portland. Unfortunately, Sabonis was unable to play because of the injury. Nevertheless, Pack stayed in Žalgiris and played a vital role in reaching the final stage of the season.

The first two games were a bit shaky for the guard. He scored 23 points combined and made 6 turnovers. But other players like Dainius Šalenga and Tanoka Beard stepped up and didn’t allow Lietuvos rytas to even think about a victory.

The start of the third game promised a great battle between two rivals, as the Vilnius team won the first quarter 25-15. However, Žalgiris got back into the game in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents 31-13.

After the first half, the green-and-whites controlled the pace of the game and celebrated a sweet victory. Pack played for 33 minutes, scored 32 points, and grabbed 5 rebounds. After three days, Žalgiris also won the fourth match, swept Lietuvos rytas, and hoisted the championship trophy.

5-7. Isaiah Taylor, 32 points

On January 5, 2023, Žalgiris Kaunas played against Fenerbahçe Istanbul. The whole arena was excited about the game, but in the first minute of the match, something happened that left many basketball fans with heavy hearts. Keenan Evans, Žalgiris’ leader, tore his Achilles tendon.

The club wasted no time and immediately began negotiations with Isaiah Taylor, who was playing in another EuroLeague team. The guard was a tried-and-tested option in Europe who had the potential to fill—if not entirely, then at least to some extent—the newly formed rotation gap.

Although Taylor played well in his green-and-white jersey, he suffered from frequent injuries. The American had three separate incidents with his thigh, which prevented him from competing at full strength in the playoffs. However, as time went on, Taylor recovered and was fully prepared for the LKL sponsored by Betsson finals.

The first game was played in Kaunas, since Žalgiris finished the regular season in first place. It is fair to say that Kazys Maksvytis’ team was happy, since the first four games were won by the team playing with the home-court advantage. The fourth match was the most nerve-wracking, as Marcus Foster’s two-pointer decided the outcome of the game. The fifth and decisive match of the series awaited both teams in Kaunas.

The final battle was full of effective plays, fouled shots, and fast breaks. Rytas tried to keep up with Žalgiris, but all their efforts went down the drain in the fourth quarter. Taylor contributed the most to the victory with 32 points and 5 rebounds. The guard was also named the Finals MVP.

4. Ramūnas Šiškauskas, 33 points

You should be concerned if you are a EuroLeague fan and don’t know who Ramūnas Šiškauskas is.

The basketball player from Kaišiadorys is not only among the greatest Lithuanian players of all time, but also among Europe’s elite. Šiškauskas played in multiple basketball powerhouses, won the 2007/2008 EuroLeague, and was named the MVP.

Also, the Lithuanian was included in the team of the 25 best EuroLeague players of this century. The list also featured such legendary basketball players as Bodiroga, Spanoulis, Vujcic, Jasikevičius, and many more.

Šiškaukas also played for Lietuvos rytas for three seasons, where clashes with Žalgiris were inevitable. His highest scoring derby occurred in his second season on November 2, 2002.

The game was played in Vilnius, where the home-court advantage and the fans helped Lietuvos Rytas take the lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, Žalgiris managed to narrow the deficit slightly, but Lietuvos Rytas continued to play with confidence and won the game by 10 points.

Šiškauskas ended that game with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals. The forward continued to improve every season and ultimately played in the EuroLeague, where he dominated against Europe’s top clubs.

2-3. Marcus Foster, 34 points

At the end of December 2023, word went out that Marcus Foster was returning to Rytas. In just his second game of the season, the American scored 30 points against Jonava. In the game against Wolves Vilnius, the guard showed no lack of confidence, and his 31 points and 6 made three-pointers reminded everyone that, at least on that day, there was enough space only for one wolf in the city.

In the finals, they were set to face Žalgiris Kaunas, and it goes without saying that last year’s runner-up, who had lost to Žalgiris 3-2 in the series, wanted the championship trophy more than anything else. After a slow start in the first two games, Foster bounced back and scored 25 points in the third game, but even that wasn’t enough to secure a win. The player from Texas knew he must score even more to finally close out the series.

From the very first seconds of the final match, it was clear that this would be Foster’s game. The guard dominated throughout the game and finished with 33 points. His game-winning two-pointer secured a hard-fought victory for Rytas and brought the championship trophy back to Vilnius after a one-year break.

That being said, even a 33-point performance isn’t his highest-scoring game. On November 6 of the 2022/2023 season, the first derby of the year took place. Foster was a big signing for the Vilnius team, and he lived up to all expectations right from that very game.

The guard had a solid shooting performance all game long, making 6 of 9 three-pointers and scoring 34 points. It’s also worth noting that the player scored 11 of the last 13 Rytas’ points, and after sinking a decisive three-pointer, he waved to Žalgiris fans, wishing them a safe trip home.

2-3. Chuck Eidson, 34 points

For Chuck Eidson, the 2008/2009 season marked his second year with the Vilnius club. It was then that the American became a true leader, capable of taking on the responsibility to score when it was most needed. No wonder the forward is still considered by many to be the best Rytas player of all time.

Since Žalgiris had secured first place in the standings after the regular season, the first match of the finals was played at the legendary Kaunas Sports Hall. Lietuvos rytas put pressure on their long-time rivals from the very first minutes, forcing turnovers and building a slight lead.

In the third quarter, Lietuvos rytas picked up the pace and won the quarter 27–10. Although the green-and-whites managed to score 29 points in the decisive quarter, it didn’t prevent Rimas Kurtinaitis’s team from celebrating a victory on their opponents’ home court. The American scored 30 points, making 11 of 13 free throws.

In the second game of the finals, Lietuvos Rytas crushed Žalgiris 100–58 at home. After such a disaster for the EuroLeague team, all eyes turned to the third game of the series, in which Žalgiris, led by Paulius Jankūnas, managed to narrow the series score to 2–1.

Lietuvos Rytas knew that the outcome of the fourth game would be the turning point of the entire series. Throughout the game, both teams constantly exchanged the role of the leading side and were not about to let victory slip away without a fight. The Kaunas team responded to the Vilnius team’s excellent two-point shooting with a series of successful long-range shots. The game went to overtime, where Žalgiris players had to admit their opponents’ superiority.

Chuck Eidson scored 34 points in 42 minutes on the court, made 13 free throws, and grabbed a total of 10 rebounds. After such an incredible performance by the American, Lietuvos rytas were on a roll and easily defeated Žalgiris in the fifth game of the series and lifted the championship trophy.

As a former Žalgiris Kaunas coach, Gintaras Krapikas, said, Nail me to the cross, but on that day, Eidson was simply unstoppable.

1. Andrius Giedraitis, 36 points

Andrius Giedraitis is not a well-known basketball player for an average European basketball fan. Let’s fix that, shall we?

Giedraitis began his professional basketball career in the former Vilnius club Sakalai. He absolutely dominated other LKL sponsored by Betsson players, and he rarely finished a game with a single-digit point total. His highest-scoring game against any team was in the 1995/1996 season. Sakalai played against Lietkabelis Panevėžys, and Giedraitis scored 55 points.

After four seasons spent in the club that no longer exists, the Lithuanian moved to a new capital team – Lietuvos rytas. In the first year, he averaged 18,1 points and became one of the team’s leaders for the next four years.

On December 18, 1999, Giedraitis recorded the highest-scoring performance in the history of all derbies. Lietuvos rytas managed to restrain Žalgiris in the first half and pull ahead by a double-digit margin. That being said, the Kaunas squad regrouped in the second half, and not only did they drastically reduce the deficit, but they also turned the game around in their favor. Lietuvos rytas had to accept defeat after a hard-fought battle.

Andrius Giedraitis finished this derby with 36 points and 6 rebounds. The guard made 7 of 9 two-pointers, 3 of 6 three-pointers, and all 13 free throws.

His legacy lives on in basketball, as his sons are also basketball players. Dovydas Giedraitis plays for Žalgiris Kaunas, and Karolis Giedraitis is a player of Gargždai team.

As can be seen, we can always look forward to a competitive LKL sponsored by Betsson derby. The derbies of this regular season are already over, so we can only expect such a show in the finals. Both teams are playing effective and visually appealing basketball and are still in the race for a European trophy. Žalgiris is competing in the EuroLeague playoffs, while Rytas will play in the BCL Final Four this week.

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