One of the most remarkable stories in European basketball unfolded in Badalona. Rytas Vilnius erased a 20-point deficit to defeat AEK Athens 86-92 in the Basketball Champions League Final, securing their first-ever European trophy.
This achievement deserves proper recognition, as it stands among the greatest comebacks in European final history—arguably the biggest. It surpasses even the legendary EuroLeague final of 2012, when Olympiakos beat CSKA Moscow on a miraculous one-handed shot by Printezis. Today’s drama in Badalona was no less thrilling: at the end of the third quarter, AEK led 63-45. Yes, you read that correctly—an 18-point lead for the Greek side entering the final quarter of a European final. Yet it wasn’t enough to secure victory. Why?
The Lithuanian side erupted for 35 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Remarkably, they had scored only 45 points in the first three quarters combined. Jerrick Harding, who had been held in check by AEK’s strong defense, suddenly caught fire, and Simas Lukosius—averaging barely over seven points per game in the competition—joined him in an astonishing scoring run. Lukosius knocked down seven consecutive three-pointers in the fourth quarter, an unbelievable feat in a final game.
That run tied the game at 80-80 and sent it to overtime. By then, AEK players were shell-shocked, having thought the game was won thanks to strong performances from Bartley and Nunnally. But Lukosius, named MVP of the game, and his teammates had other plans.
Ultimately, this was a triumph of faith and belief in one’s strength above all else, regardless of the odds. It also underscores the importance of fan support—Lithuanian fans traveled all the way to Spain to back their team. We witnessed it and bear witness to this beautiful achievement that will be remembered.
