"Juventus" Reaches Historic LKL Final, Coach Eglinskas Jests About Netflix Offer

Utenos "Juventus" achieved a historic milestone on Wednesday, defeating Klaipėdos "Neptūnas" 103-90 in front of a packed home crowd to secure their first-ever LKL finals appearance. The team won the semifinal series 3-1.

"Juventus" will now face the reigning champions, Kauno "Žalgiris," in the LKL finals. Meanwhile, "Neptūnas" will compete for the bronze medal in a playoff against Panevėžys. The club's previous best LKL achievement was a bronze medal in 2015.

Following the momentous victory, 37-year-old "Juventus" head coach Laimonas Eglinskas shared his elation but stressed the collective effort behind the success. "We all came to this together – from the club management to the players and coaching staff. We all worked hard to be in this place," he stated. He described the feeling as "really good," noting that the initial euphoria had subsided but there were many emotions after the final buzzer. Eglinskas even joked about receiving a contract offer from Netflix, hoping Lithuanian fans would sign him before foreign interest materialized.

When asked about player Lukas Uleckas's potential to return to a higher European level, Eglinskas expressed optimism, emphasizing the importance of finding the right team, coaches, and environment. He believes Uleckas has found that at "Juventus" and hopes he stays. However, he reiterated that every player was crucial to the win, highlighting individual contributions from Ivan Vraneš and Čerys.

The coach also commented on the celebratory atmosphere in Utena, acknowledging the importance of earning the fans' belief. He noted the sell-out crowd and even discussed the possibility of an open-air game, depending on LKL regulations. Eglinskas also touched upon the team's qualification for the FIBA Champions League, expressing gratitude to his agent, Marius Rutkauskas, and looking forward to further news. Despite the current celebration, he reminded everyone that the season is not yet over.